Beyond
by Jeanne Luz
Summary: Sequel to pack your gear. Attempted murder, Mayhem and Evil people from the pastand a little tiva plot twist.
1. dreaming

Okay Everyone-One more time. This is just FanFiction I don't own these characters and I know it.

This is the Sequel to Pack Your Gear& In Vino Veritas. You might want to read it first but it's not strictly necessary.

X

"I'm so happy." Ziva said. "It feels like forever since I've seen you both." She, Jacob and Tali stood together on the soft sand of a deserted beach watching the waves break on the shore. Far out at sea a silver sun burned white hot behind a veil of fog. The air smelled sweet and floral, not like the beach at all. A light wind flowed off the ocean blowing sand in skittering swirls across the beach. The wind blew harder, curling around her legs like a thing alive. Her diaphanous white dress twisted and fluttered around her pregnant belly.

"Forever." Jacob said wistfully.

"You need to go back now." Tali pleaded. "Please." She squeezed her hand.

"Not just yet. Let's stay and watch the waves. We won't have many chances after the baby's born for the three of us to do this." Ziva rubbed her belly. "It's too bad Ari couldn't be here." He still hadn't seen her pregnant. She couldn't wait. He'd be so proud.

"Honey, you need to go back." Jacob said. His usual bright eyes looked sad and moist.

"The baby kicked again! Do you want to feel it?" Ziva exclaimed. Eagerly she placed her boyfriend's hand on her abdomen. "It's right here. Feel that? Isn't it wonderful?"

Jacob spoke so softly she could barely hear him. "She's a fighter. Just like her mom."

"How do you know it's a she? It could be a he." Ziva stated.

"It's a girl. I named her after you." He said quietly.

"How could you? The baby's not even born yet." She asked.

She cradled her belly in her arms. At five months along it was now a sizable bump. She rubbed it, feeling the baby wiggle and squirm with in her. She'd been mad when she'd found out she was pregnant. She didn't want to be a mother. But that was then and this was now. Now she felt hopeful and happy. She had even agreed to marry Jacob after the baby was born. Her life was beautiful.

"I miss you." Tali said, her blue eyes misting. "But you need to go back."

Ziva felt guilty. She and Tali hadn't spent much time together lately. She and Jacob had been planning a trip to southern France, their last one alone before the baby was born. "Jacob and I are just taking a week off. You'll see me again soon." She reassured her younger sister

"That's what we're afraid of honey." Jacob kissed her softly. "You need to go back."

_Go back where_? She was so confused. "I'm happy here with you," she said.

Tali's attention drifted to the water's edge. A young brown haired woman in a white dress had appeared. She ran at them.

"Did you find him?" Tali gushed.

"Just in time. He's coming." The brown-haired woman said. Her voice held a sense of urgency that Ziva did not share.

"Find who? Ari?"

The woman rubbed her forehead. "Ari and I don't run in the same circles." She said in a pained voice.

The brown-haired woman looked at the sun, which now burned stronger and brighter. It no longer hung far off in the distance, but hovered almost near enough to touch. With each pulse of Ziva's heart it seemed to grow larger and more intense. "You're running out of time!" The woman warned.

"She won't go back." Jacob said, voice tense.

Ziva looked at the woman again as if seeing her for the first time. She was a beauty. She had fine features and large expressive eyes. "How do I know you?" She asked.

"I'm a friend of a friend." The woman smiled, barely. Worry etched her lovely face.

"Kate?"

"Yes. You need to listen to me. You're almost out of time. Don't make him go through this again." Kate ordered, her voice as hard as steel.

"Go through what?" She was so confused she felt panicked.

"Ziva!" She heard her name called out from somewhere in the distance. It rang like thunder over the empty beach. She recognized the voice but couldn't place it. She heard it again. Her name.

In the blink of an eye painful pressure blossomed in her chest. It seared her lungs, like being trapped underwater with no air. It hurt so much she began to cry. She felt so tired and weak. Her legs wobbled. She sank to her knees.

Tali knelt beside her. "You need to go back. You're both in danger."

"Is something wrong with the baby?" Ziva laboured to speak. The pain was getting worse. It snatched at her breath.

Kate knelt too. "Baby's fine. You'll hardly recognize her when you see her again." She said soothingly. "I know it hurts."

The orb of the sun filled the whole sky, its light stretching as far as Ziva could see. The very centre of it pulsed. It no longer looked like the sun at all, rather something more intense. Magnesium-flare bright it should have hurt her eyes but it didn't. It was more beautiful than anything she'd ever seen. She could not look away.

"Honey, they know. You're both in trouble." Jacob clutched furtively at her hand.

"What is that? It looks like a tunnel in the sky." Ziva gasped.

"It's too late." Tali cried.

Kate shouted, "Damn it DiNozzo, where are you?" Kate looked at Ziva, determination in her bright eyes. "I'm sorry. I won't let this happen again." Slap! She hit her hard in the face.

Ziva felt the slap as a great crushing pain through her entire body. It was the only thing she could feel. Her breath felt trapped in her chest. She tried to speak to tell Kate to stop hurting her, but no sound came out. She was mute.

Suddenly it all exploded into view. She was in bed, a man sat on her chest slowly squeezing the air from her lungs as he pinched her nose shut. She tried to move her body to fight him off but she couldn't. It was as if it belonged to someone else. The pain was blinding. She felt nauseous.

The blast of a gunshot rang out in the room. Something warm, wet and sticky covered her face. It smelled of iron.

X

Tony had gone for a walk to clear his head. He couldn't sleep. Sometimes Ziva was so damn exasperating he had to get away. He didn't mind though. The past four months had been happy ones, if a bit tricky. Hiding an office romance was no easy feat.

He was halfway down the street when he heard someone call his name. It sent a chill straight through his bones.

"Kate?"

"Run. Ziva's in trouble."

He took off in an Olympic sprint. His heart choked his throat.

He found himself in his bedroom. A man dressed in black sat on Ziva's chest squeezing the life from her. So intent on killing her was he that he didn't see Tony enter or draw his gun.

Tony's stomach dropped into his shoes. She lay so still. Her eyes were closed. "Ziva!" He shouted. "Ziva!"

The man turned, snarling at him. "Go ahead. There are more of us."

Tony fired. The round caught the assailant in the chest, knocking him to the floor. Death was not instant. He writhed and gasped. Blood bubbled at the corners of his mouth. Tony approached him and leaned down. He searched the man's hollow, soulless eyes looking for some reason. Why do this?

The man gurgled, the light fading from his eyes. "You're next Agent DiNozzo."

TBC

Not to worry. Ziva's fine. I just thought that since Tony took all the abuse last time it was her turn. After all, sharing is important in any relationship. hehehe


	2. caught

Tony hugged Ziva possessively as she sat pitched forward on the bed gasping. Each breath eased the pain of hypoxia from her body. She'd been close to death. _One more second and I'd have been d-_- She snatched the thought and stuffed it into the recesses of her mind. She would allow herself to feel it later. Someday months from now she would stand in the shower and cry her eyes out. Then she'd get on with her life. Right now she needed to keep her wits about her. "I'm okay." She hugged him weakly. "Careful with the ribs."

Tony released his grip on her and ran his hands over her sides checking for broken bones. He had to be sure she was okay. His voice felt stalled in his throat. He didn't know what to tell her. _Thank God! I don't want to lose you! My heart stopped! I thought you were dead! I love you! _In a movie the hero would've had some perfect line. All he could think to say was, "Can you move?"

"Yes. Just give me a minute." Ziva said. Her body felt strange, as if she'd just tried it on for size. She stretched and twisted. She flexed her feet and wiggled her fingers, her movements slow. She felt sleepy and sluggish and sick to her stomach. "I think our friend shot me full of Thorazine or some other sedative." _That's why I couldn't fight him off. Bastard had to drug me first._

"I'd believe that. You would have put him in a body bag otherwise." Tony continued her check up. He lifted her nightshirt and let out a low groan. Her stomach and ribs shone a virulent purplish-black. He doubted she could feel the true extent of her injury right now. Tomorrow, however, she would be in agony. "I already called the team but I think we need an ambulance. You don't look so good." He kissed her lightly on the lips. She was warm, alive. Ziva returned his kiss, a soft, gentle reassurance. She would be okay.

When she broke off she said, "No ambulance. We need to keep this quiet."

Tony clasped her face in his hands. Her eyes were bloodshot. Her pupils were dialated. "Sweetheart. You've just had a brush with death. I think you need to go to the hospital."

"That's not a good idea. The more people who know about this the harder it will be to control the situation." She stated.

Tony hated to admit it but she was right. He nodded in agreement.

"Wait a minute. Did you just say you called the team?" She asked, her voice rising in pitch.

"Yeah, as soon as I thought you were in trouble." He smoothed her hair and tucked a strand behind her ear.

"I have to get up." She swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "I have to get dressed." Moving made the room spin like a top. She rested her head in her hands and waited for the feeling to pass.

"Just sit still!" he said exasperated. Sometimes she was too much.

"No way. I am not going face to face with Gibbs in my pajamas." She rose slowly to avoid a head rush. Gingerly she tested her balance. "Unless you want the team to see me like this I suggest you help me get dressed."

She had him there. A clingy black night shirt and bare butt was no way to meet Gibbs, especially if they wanted to feign innocence. Obediently Tony opened his top dresser drawer and retrieved a pair of her cargo pants and tank top. A month ago Ziva'd claimed the drawer as her own. In return, she gave him one at her apartment. That was a first in his history of relationships. He sincerely hoped it wouldn't come back to haunt them.

Ziva pulled up her underpants, reaching out to steady herself on Tony. "Who is that guy?' She asked, indicating the dead man who lay face up in a dark pool of blood.

"I was hoping you knew."

"I have no clue who he is but I'd bet this is about me killing Ari." She said, her eyes wide.

"So would I. I thought you, me and Gibbs were the only ones who knew the full story."

"Me too." She slipped her bra on and twisted around to let him hook it.

"Can you think of how they figured it out?" He helped her step into her pants.

"I don't even know who _they_ are." Ziva said. She tried to zip her pants but her fingers felt numb and clumsy. She couldn't grasp the little pull. "Help me out here."

"Have you thought of what we are going to tell Gibbs?" Tony asked, sliding her zipper up.

"Yes actually-" Ziva didn't get a chance to finish. Thwack! Tony's bedroom door burst open. Gibbs, McGee, Palmer and Ducky spilled into the room. They bounced off each other in their haste like a comedy routine. Gibbs led the pack. He froze at the sight of Tony with his hands on Ziva's pants.

"Yes Officer David, what are you going to tell me?"


	3. an eye full

Once again, i don't own this characters. It's just FF

Gibbs fixed an icy stare on Ziva and Tony. His blue eyes glittered with an intensity usually reserved for interrogating suspects. "Everybody out!" He roared. Ducky, Palmer and McGee nearly tripped over themselves in their haste to exit. No one wanted to get caught in the crossfire. Ziva made a move to rush past Gibbs but he caught her by the arm. "I want to talk to you in private."

"Me too boss?" Tony asked, unsure of what he wanted the answer to be.

"Just her." Gibbs replied. He held Ziva's arm so that she had no choice but to look him in the face.

Ziva matched Gibbs' stare with one of her own. Her blood-spattered face coupled with her death ray glare made her look scary. If anybody could go one on one with pissed off Gibbs and live to tell the tale it was her. Tony left.

As soon as his bedroom door clicked shut Tony pressed his ear to it. He didn't care who saw how desperate he was to hear the conversation between Ziva and Gibbs. He had to know what was going on. He could hear low urgent tones coming from the bedroom. It sounded like Ziva was doing all the talking. The bed creaked as one or both of them sat down. Then there was the russel of fabric. Then a sigh. Then silence. The silence dragged on. That was the worst part he decided. He began to imagine all possible reasons for the sounds he'd heard. _She couldn't. She wouldn't. I'd know if… _

He didn't have a chance to finish his thought. Without warning Ziva whipped the door open and slammed it behind her. She looked relieved. "Ducky, he wants you in there. No body else." She said as she surveyed the crowd of anxious faces.

"And?" Gibbs bellowed through the door.

"And you're supposed to check me out." She said to Palmer. The young man blanched slightly. Nervously he stepped forward to investigate.

Tony laid both hands on Palmer's shoulders and halted him in his tracks. "Not so fast Sparky. I already did that."

Gibbs yelled through the door once again proving his hearing better than his vision. "I'm certain of that Agent DiNozzo. I want some one with medical training to do it!"

Ziva pulled Tony off Palmer. "Don't worry about it. Everybody's going to get an eyeful tonight."

XXXXX

Sorry for the super short chapter. Just tweaking the next bit and it'll be right along. Don't forget to review


	4. Hoover

Tony felt like an idiot. He hated to look vulnerable in front of any one but tonight he just couldn't help himself. He sat beside Ziva on the love seat grasping her leg. He couldn't make himself let her go. _What a rotten night._ For Ziva's part she ignored him. She sat lifting her shirt up as the Autopsy Gremlin probed her ribs. It must have hurt like fury but she made no sound. At least she'd washed her face. The whole Braveheart look she had going was starting to creep him out. Meanwhile McGee stared out the window wishing himself invisible.

Tony shifted uncomfortably in his seat. _I can't believe I got caught with my hand in the cookie jar._ _The one time that that wasn't what I was after_. He desperately wanted to know what had transpired between Ziva and Gibbs behind his bedroom door but doubted she would ever tell him. She was the one woman he knew who really hated to 'talk about it.' "Hey Palmer-watch the boobs!" He snapped. The young man was seriously too eager to comply with Gibbs' order to 'check her out'.

Palmer startled, his fingers tips just under the swell of Ziva's breast. "I'm just palpitating her chest. She has extensive bruising and two cracked ribs I think. That's the best I can tell with out her going to the hospital."

"Still-watch the boobs." If the Autopsy Gremlin got any closer to Ziva's breasts Tony was going to 'palpitate' him and he didn't care who saw.

"I'm right here boys." Ziva said. "You can quite talking about me."

McGee, as if realizing he would not be able to disappear sat in the armchair adjacent to Tony's end of the love seat. "We're just worried is all Ziva. People usually go to the hospital when they look like you." Ziva's eyes went wide and she opened her mouth prepared to fire off a comeback. McGee was faster, "Not that you look bad, I mean, your chest does, but not you…" he stopped. He was just making it worse.

Palmer continued. "I'd wrap your ribs but I don't have any bandages. You're my first live patient. You'll just have to take it easy." He laughed. "Oh my! Did you get these bruises on your shoulder during the attack? I've never seen anything like them in conjunction with an attempted smmothering!" Excitedly he touched the raspberry like marks on her left shoulder with his index finger. Suddenly he recoiled, embarrassed. "Oh. Sorry about that. They're just love bites."

Ziva slapped Palmer's hand. "You tell Gibbs and no one will ever find your body." She warned. She was not by nature a shy or modest person but she still didn't appreciate having to share any specifics of her love life with him or McGee.

McGee sensing that Tony was distracted, slapped him on the back. "Nice work Hoover."

Tony grabbed him and pulled him close. He whispered in his ear in a voice just loud enough for Ziva to hear, "Knock it off Probie. You're lucky I like Abby or I'd tell every one you've been sleeping together!"

"You know?" McGee's jaw dropped. "You know and you didn't tell?"

"Tit for tat." Tony replied.

"Okay, Okay, I'm sorry."

"Sorry about what?" Gibbs asked, emerging from the bedroom with Ducky.

"Just a bad joke boss. It was nothing." Tony lied.

Gibbs ignored them and rousted Tony from his perch beside Ziva and sat down. "How did this guy get to you? Do you remember anything?" He sounded too cool for Tony's comfort, as if he hadn't just caught his senior agent with his hand in co-worker's pants. Was it the calm before the storm?

Ziva smoothed her shirt. "We had an argument, Tony went for a walk and I went bed. That's it." She never thought she'd be thankful for the knock down drag out fight they'd had earlier in the evening. If Tony hadn't gone for a walk they'd probably both be dead. She couldn't even remember what it was about. Oh yes. A date. They had yet to have a public date. Tony wanted one, she did not. "I think I was drugged." She added.

"It looks that way my dear," said Ducky, exiting the kitchen with a glass of water in hand. "I found an empty syringe. We'll know more when we get back to the lab." He paused. "You're lucky to be alive." He handed Ziva the glass. "Sedatives tend to make you very thirsty. Drink up my dear."

She accepted the glass and gulped it feverishly.

"Have any idea who this guy is?" Gibbs' eyes bored into her. She didn't seem to notice

"None. He's not Mossad or Hamas. He's not anything I recognize." She twisted the empty glass in her hands as she stared at it. "I think we can safely say this is about Ari."

"I'd believe that." Gibbs replied, his tone flat. "What we do know is this was a passionate attack. This guy wanted to watch you exit this world."

"I couldn't have guessed." Ziva retorted sarcastically.

"Whoever is behind this has had dozens of chances by now to kill you from afar. If we can keep you out of sight we can keep you safe for now." The concern in Gibbs' voice was evident. The team knew what he was thinking and they shared his worry. _Not another Kate._

"What are we going to do with her?" Tony asked, scooting Palmer out of the way. He sat on the floor in front of Ziva.

"She needs to play dead until we figure this out." Gibbs said. The men in the room nodded in unison.

Ziva shook her head. "I'm not liking it. We don't know who _they_ are. Our best chances are for another attack. I need to be visible for that. Besides, they're after Tony too." She said. Tony sent her a look that said "Shut Up." She ignored him and said, "What? You think I didn't hear that 'you're next' part?"

Gibbs gave a small amused laugh which was pretty much the equivalent of a belly laugh for anyone else. "Then the two of are getting a vacation to a government safe house with Fornell." He sounded slightly amused. Although with Gibbs sometimes it was hard to tell.

Ziva groaned and leaned back against the sofa. "I really don't want to go into hiding. Let me call a couple of contacts and I'll-"

Tony squeezed her hand. "Let's ID this guy first. Once we figure out who he is we can work backwards."

The look she shot him could have melted ice. "You are going along with this? I don't believe you!"

"You're not thinking right now. When we find who it is I promise you'll get first dibs, okay?" Tony smiled his half smile but it didn't reach his eyes. He was worried.

The team members all stared at her, wanting her to comply. Ziva thought of Tali and Jacob and Kate. She thought of the look on Tony's face as he held her when she struggled to breath. She couldn't put him through this. She couldn't put any of them through this again. This wasn't the time to think only of herself. "Okay," she said. "Okay we'll do it. One thing though, how do we get out of here with out being seen if we're supposed to be dead?"

Then it hit her. "Wait a minute." She said. _I can't believe I'm going to suggest this._ "Ducky, how well do you wash out your body bags?"


	5. What Tony Missed

Once again, I don't own this. It's just fanfic. I know it.

XXXXX

_Crazy Chick. That was the grossest thing I have ever done,_ Tony thought as he sat huddled on the NCIS van floor with Gibbs and Ziva. The ride down in the body bag on the gurney had been truly disgusting. Ducky promised they were thoroughly clean. Tony didn't care. It was still gross. He hoped it would make who ever was behind the attack believe that their assailant had died after he'd carried out his mission.

Tony was trying hard not to notice the body of their mystery man strapped to the gurney just inches from him. He was just a tad creeped out by it. Dead bodies didn't as a rule bother him, but something about this one got under his skin. Ziva didn't seem to mind. Whatever sedative she'd been given had won the battle against adrenaline. She sat sandwiched between him and Gibbs, passed out and snoring with her head on his shoulder.

"She always snore like that?" Gibbs asked, breaking the silence.

Tony didn't know what to say. A yes was tantamount to admitting they'd been sleeping together. A no was a flat out lie. Considering the fact that he was talking to a human lie detector he went with the truth. "Yes."

"You poor bastard." Gibbs laughed.

_Okay. I guess he's saving the hell and fury routine for later. Good. I don't want to deal with it now._

A few minutes later the van pulled into an underground parking garage. It braked and the back doors opened. Tony blinked in the sallow subterranean light.

"Where are we?"

"In D.C." came a voice he recognized. Fornell. "Looks like you've had yourselves a rough night." The FBI agent nodded a curt greeting. "Follow me."

Tony scooped Ziva up and carried her into the elevator. Thankfully she'd stopped snoring. Her eyes opened for a moment and she looked at him. Satisfied, she fell back asleep.

Together Tony, Ziva, Gibbs and Fornell rode the elevator from the parking garage to the third floor. They exited directly infront of a large door fitted with peephole and keypad. Fornell typed in a code and the door clicked open.

A young blonde haired man greeted them. He must have been a flight attendant in an earlier life Tony decided because he was way too chipper for three A.M. "Hi! I'm agent Horcum. Welcome. Agent Hickey is sleeping. We're on twelve hour shifts here to monitor your safety. Plus, the whole apartment is under video and audio surveillance so you'll be safe here." The man beamed. He said to Tony, "Want to put her in here? This bedroom is free." Flight Attendant Horcum opened the door to his left and flipped on the light switch.

The room was simple. A queen sized bed covered in a pale duvet sat low to the ground. The headboard was padded and attached to the wall. On either side of the bed were end tables with lamps.

Tony went in first followed by Gibbs. He deposited a slowly reviving Ziva on top of the comforter. He pulled her shoes off and she muttered. "Not tonight Tony."

Gibbs let out a small laugh. He leaned over and gave Ziva a light kiss on the forehead. The corners of her lips curved up in a small smile. "Hey Jethro."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Ziva." She nodded and fell back asleep.

Gibbs paused to rest his hand on Tony's back before he left. "When this is all over the three of us need to have a talk."

"Sure thing boss." He said. His voice sounded too weak for his liking. _What was that all about?_ Tony tried to ignore the churning in his stomach. He felt awful and it had everything to do with the tender exchange he'd just witnessed.

Quietly he undressed Ziva and settled her under the blanket before stripping down to his boxers. He curled up beside her. He didn't care who saw. His last thought before he passed out was: _What the hell did I miss?_

XXXXX

So, do we like twists? 'Cause it's coming your way. Don't forget to review. You know you want to. :-)


	6. Ziva's Confession

And again. I don't own this it's just fanfic.

XXXXXX

Ziva woke to a ceiling that was not her own. She rubbed her eyes letting the confusion of last night slide into focus. _Oh yes. Someone wants to kill me. Again._ Instinctively she reached out to touch Tony only to find him gone. She ran her hands over the sheets where he'd lain. They were still warm. He'd just gotten up.

She rose slowly and dressed in last night's clothes. Definitely she had cracked ribs. Each breath she took was punctuated by a slicing sensation in her right side. Her whole chest felt abused.

Ziva stepped out of their bedroom and took in her surroundings. In addition to their room three doors opened up off the hall. She peeked in each one. She found one empty bedroom, bed unmade. In the next one a blonde man slumbered. The third held what looked to be a command post. She went in.

A bank of color monitors stacked 4 by 5 sat on a metal desk. On each screen she could clearly see images of the apartment both inside and out. She grinned. She could fix that.

Ziva pulled the monitor bank from the wall and studied the patch panels at the back. _This is going to be too easy._ Working quickly she rearranged cables. She disconnected two switches, removed one circuit board, smashed it, and shoved it back in the slot. She then pushed the monitor bank back flush with the wall. She could now only see the outside of the apartment on video. Satisfied she went on to fix the audio to record only the perimeter of the apartment.

Pleased with herself she went to see Tony.

Softly she padded down the hall. Ziva rounded a corner and saw Tony sitting at the kitchen table scarfing Cheerios. He wore his boxers and T-shirt. He hadn't shaved. She felt a flash of desire low in her stomach. If the situation had been different she'd have dragged him back to bed.

To distract herself she studied Tony's breakfast companion. He had bright red hair and an odd way of chewing that reminded her of those fuzzy little creatures from the park. A chipmunk was it? Disgusting.

Neither man saw her. Perfect. Ziva crept up to Tony and leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Morning." Tony jumped and she laughed. She'd never get tired of it.

The red headed man was slightly worse for wear. He wheezed and coughed up some cheerios.

"I told you to stop doing that Zee-Vah. Look what you did to agent Hickey here." Tony said. He giggled when he pronounced the agent's name.

Ziva missed the joke. "I think not." She said. She took a long pull from Tony's coffee and handed it back to him.

"You can keep it." He said grumpily.

"Thanks." Ziva kissed the top of his head sat down beside him. "Now what do we do?"

"We wait."

XXXXX

Ziva couldn't help laughing. Agent Hickey was entrenched in the command room furiously trying to fix 'A technical glitch." He'd been at it for most of the day. She and Tony could hear banging and cursing alternating with frustrated silence.

"Did you have something to do with this?" Tony asked.

She smiled. "Who, me?"

"You're evil David."

XXXXX

"This is the second time we've watched this movie." Ziva said, gesturing towards the small screen.

"You got a problem with Run Lola Run? 'Cause I thought you'd be into her." Tony said. If he ignored the facts that an unknown person wanted them both dead and sex was out of the question, watching movies with Ziva was a good way to spend the day.

"I'm going crazy just sitting here." Ziva said. She looked a little crazy Tony thought. Her eyes were wide and she fidgeted on the sofa beside him.

"Going crazy? I thought you already had." Tony retorted.

Ziva gave him a dirty look and a shot to the shoulder.

"Ow." He rubbed his shoulder. "I'm just saying crazy is stowing away in a body bag to get away from some one who wants to kill you."

"It wasn't crazy. It was resourceful." Ziva pressed her right hand to her right side, trying to ease her discomfort. Tony noticed but he didn't say anything. If she wanted to be a tough girl then he had no other option than to let her.

"Yeah. Right. Remind me to thank you for one of the most disgusting moments of my life." He said sarcastically.

Ziva switched gears. She leaned in to kiss the nape of his neck, her tongue warm on his skin. Slowly she slid her left hand up his leg and stopped with her palm resting tantalizingly on his groin. "You know. We never got a chance to make up."

"I'd take you up on that Sweet Cheeks but we have company." Tony flashed her his smile and his green eyes glinted. She truly was his match. He had to admit. Sometimes she even outpaced him, like now. It took everything he had to slide her hand away.

_Think unsexy thoughts. Think unsexy thoughts. McGee in a Speedo. McGee in speedo on a cold day._

"I don't like being here Tony."

"Tell me something I didn't know." He said

"I'm not wearing a bra." Ziva replied, shattering his image of McGee.

"No. That I knew. You can't get it on by yourself and I didn't help dress you this morning." Tony clicked the TV off. "Want to play 20 questions?"

"Does this involve you asking me twenty questions? Because I think you know what I'm going to say." She said.

"I thought as much." He smiled and his eyes lit up. Ziva thought about rendering agent Hickey unconscience so she could have her way with Tony but decided against it. "Want me to teach you Krav Maga?"

"With your ribs? I think you need to take it easy. Go take a shower." He sounded concerned.

"I did that for an hour this morning. I'm still raisin-y."

"Pruney?"

"Is there really a difference?" She asked.

"Not really. They're both low on my list of preferred foods." He grinned. Correcting her speech was always good fun.

"Seriously. We're in big trouble here. Let me teach you." Ziva pulled Tony to his feet. She needed to move. She hated to sit still too long.

"I'll don't think so. You need to rest." He said gently. He lifted her shirt to check her ribs. They looked like bruised steak.

"What I need is to go shoot whoever's responsible." She said pulling her shirt down.

"Patience is a virtue you know."

"Yeah. You're a fine one to talk about patience." She snorted.

"I have an idea. I'll let you teach me some Krav Maga. But you need to 'fess up first. What did I miss between you and Gibbs?" Tony asked.

Ziva's jaw dropped. She didn't think it was that obvious. Mouth open she hesitated. She'd learned early on in life to carefully control what people knew about her and it pained her to volunteer information. Even to Tony. But she'd wanted to come clean to him for a long time. She felt fire in her stomach and it had nothing to do with desire. She was nervous. "Do you remember the day we spent locked in the boxcar and you asked me how I got those rug burns?"

"Yes." Tony said stepping close to her. He pulled her hips possessively to his.

"I slept with Gibbs," she said.

XXXXX

So don't forget to review. You know you want to.


	7. Whoa Baby

"You're joking right?" Tony asked, his voice cracking.

Ziva's eyes went wide and she shook her head. "I wish I were."

Tony felt the room slide out of focus around him. Blood throbbed in his ears so forcefully it hurt. His heart beat fast enough to take flight and zoom out of his chest. His palms oozed sweat. _She slept with Gibbs._ _How could she do it? How could she keep this from me? How could Gibbs break his own rule? _The plague had felt better than this emotional pain.

He grunted his disgust. Swiftly he released his hold on her and strode into their bedroom. Ziva followed, trotting to keep up with him. He slammed the door behind them.

"Please let me explain." Ziva said, her frustration evident.

Tony whirled around to face her, his arms raised in a defensive, 'Stop.' "Not now Ziva." he shouted. His eyes cast wildly about the room. He grabbed the nearest object –a lamp- and threw it. It hit the wall and broke in a shower of ceramic bits.

"Stop it. You're making me nervous." Ziva words came fast and clipped. Tony's crazy behaviour scared her. Knowing that she was the source of his pain made it worse. She'd been in mortal peril so many times in her life she'd lost count. Yet somehow, this was the scariest thing she'd ever been part of. "Will you let me explain?"

"Give me a minute." Tony grunted. He sat down on the edge of the bed feeling completely drained. He lowered his head to his hands. _Sometimes you are so damn frustrating Ziva David._

Tony couldn't bring himself to look at Ziva. He was surprised with himself and just a bit embarrassed by his outburst. He was always patient, confident and able to stay cool no matter what. Ziva's confession made him see red. Tony couldn't remember ever acting so irrationally. Then again, he couldn't remember actually caring about someone as much as he did Ziva.

He wanted to talk to her, but was afraid of what he might say. He let his thoughts run rampant through his head. _I am so angry_ _right now it's scary. I'm angry you betrayed me. I'm angry for all the sneaking around we've done. I'm angry Gibbs broke his own rule. Most of all I'm angry you didn't trust me from the start. I know there are secrets in your life that you will never share with me but this, this I should have known_

Ziva knelt on the floor in front of Tony, wedging herself between his parted knees. Hugging him as tightly as she could she nuzzled his neck in supplication. Tony could feel a slight tremble to her body. An animalistic side of him wanted to make love to her right there in an act of possession. He made himself push the thought away. She'd never go for it and he'd resent himself in the end.

Ziva spoke slowly and softly. "I'm sorry. I should have told you from the start but we thought it best to keep quiet." She continued, keeping her emotions in check. "It wasn't planned, one thing led to another and before I knew it I was naked on the living room rug." She paused, the memories from that surreal night crowding her mind. If she thought about it she could still feel Gibbs against her skin. _How do I explain this?_

She placed her forehead against Tony's. He let out a low sigh. Ziva said. "You need to know it wasn't about lust or love at all. We both needed to let go of someone we never got a chance to say good- bye to." She tipped her head back to look him in the face. "It was…" She broke off as she searched for the word. "Comforting."

For a long time the silence was the loudest noise in the room. Tony sat lost in thought. After Kate died suddenly every woman he made love to had her face. More than one had left in a huff after being called Kate in the throes of lovemaking. Then one night with a spectacular brunette he'd shouted " Ziva!" It netted him a knee to the groin along with realization that he wanted her bad.

It struck him that there was only one difference between him and his dates and Ziva and Gibbs. Ziva and Gibbs had both understood the purpose of their lovemaking. It had been a consensual release. To his surprise he felt his anger with her ebb.

Ziva broke. Tears sprang in her eyes. She blinked them back, determined not to cry. Her voice shook. "Go ahead and be angry, but just say something."

Tony looked at her tenderly and wiped her tears with his thumb. "Comfort gave you rug burns?"

She laughed. Her wise-ass partner was back. She responded, "No, hot and heavy gave me rug burns."

"So…" Tony wanted to ask the question but couldn't get it out. "So how…."

"I didn't exactly pull out my ruler." Ziva retorted employing her 'I can't believe you' look.

He laughed uncomfortably. "That's not what I meant." Tony wanted to ask _Do I have competition? That's all I want to know. _ "That's not what I was going to ask. Compared…"

"I'm not comparing the two of you if that's what you want. It's pears and bananas." She snapped.

"Apples and oranges?" he offered teasingly.

Ziva ignored him. When she spoke she paused at the end of each sentence. "It was about saying goodbye. It's over. I wouldn't take it back because it helped me move on with my life."

Tony nodded. He could understand. "Please tell me there was drinking involved." He said only half joking.

"About a bottle of red wine each." Ziva said truthfully. "Look Tony, I'm not sorry I did it but I am sorry I didn't tell you about it until now."

"I understand. I understand but I don't like it." Tony allowed himself a small kiss on her forehead. He wasn't sure where they stood.

Ziva sat beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm not asking you to like it. I'm just asking you to forgive me." She said, her voice calm and steady.

"I do forgive you." And he did. He loved her. He knew that their life together would have a great many bumps in the road. There was no and never would be any smooth sailing with Ziva. He had to accept it or move on.

"I'm sorry I've hurt you." She said. It was an unusual feeling for her.

"How sorry?" Tony turned and gave her a light kiss, letting his lips linger on hers before flashing her his full on smile.

"Really sorry." Ziva's mouth was a whisper away from his. She smelled sweet. He wanted to taste her and feel her. Most of all he wanted to be reassured.

"Show me." He said, his voice low, just enough for her to hear.

Ziva pounced on him with low growl, knocking him flat on his back. She kissed him, making love to him with her mouth. Slowly she guided his hands to her breasts. "Be gentle."

"I will." He panted. Accidentally he grazed her chest and she winced.

"I said gentle Tony." She wheezed.

"Sorry." He said, kissing her breast.

"Ouch!" She stopped and sat back on her heels. She looked intensely at him, lips full and pink. "Just lay still like a good boy and let me have my way, okay?" she purred.

"I can live with that." He gave a low laugh before she covered his mouth again.

XXXX

Abby Sciuto stuck her head in the wastebasket for the fifth time that afternoon. _Who would have thought crackers would come back to haunt me?_ She lurched forward and vomited. _That's better. _

She set the wastebasket back in place and checked her computer. It whirred happily as it ran Ziva's attacker's DNA through CODUS. She heard a footfall behind her and turned to find McGee.

"Did you get my drink?" She asked, bounding over to him. She moved fast despite her heavy boots.

"Kiwi vanilla slushie just like you asked. Sure you don't want a Kaff Pow?" He asked, confused.

"I'm sure." She said. She accepted the drink and gulped it with relish.

"Abby, you don't think…" McGee's voiced trailed off.

"I don't think. I know." Abby said smiling. She stepped forward to hug him. "Congratulations Dad," She said giving him a throaty kiss.

Light headed McGee returned her kiss until his eye caught the computer display. It had come to rest on its result. He pulled away from Abby. "Oh Crap!"

"Excuse me?" She asked clearly pissed off.

McGee grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to show her the results from CODUS.

"Oh crap is right." Abby said. "We've gotta call Ziva and Tony."

XXXXX

"Have anything else you want to confess?" Tony asked, lazily drawing circles with his finger on Ziva's abdomen. He lay on his side, looking over her naked body. He never turned down an opportunity to enjoy the sight of her. Ziva snuggled along side him on her back, her hands on her ribs.

"Not right now." Ziva said. "I don't think I'll be able to walk straight after this."

Tony flashed her his mega watt smile and she felt herself melt. If only she had the energy.

The phone on her nightstand chirped. Annoyed Ziva answered it.

"Hey-Ziva?" came Abby's strained voice.

"Yes Abby?"

"Is Tony with you?"

"Yes. You want to talk to him?" Ziva looked at Tony and mouthed, 'Abby.'

"No. I just wanted to make sure you weren't alone. I ran your attacker's fingerprints through AFIS and I got a hit- a guy by the name of Adam David." Abby said.

"That's good. Maybe we can get out of here." Ziva answered excitedly.

"I doubt it. I ran his DNA through CODUS. I didn't get a hit per say but there's something you have to know. You have 13 alleleles in common with him." Abby stated.

"What are you trying to tell me Abby?" Ziva asked, not yet able to believe her.

On the other end of the line she heard Abby take a deep breath. "I'm trying to tell you that the jerk who tried to kill you is your half brother."

XXXXXX

Better? Are we happier now? What do you think? Don't forget to review. I always have the ending written first but reviews do influence me. Jeanne


	8. interrogation

The slender brunette slowly made her way through Ziva's darkened apartment. Her booted heels made no sound on the carpet. She entered the bedroom. Carefully she angled the beam of her penlight over the room. It illuminated a bed, dresser and two nightstands. _You never were much for clutter Ziva. You keep everything simple because your life is so complicated._

She began her search under the bed and netted nothing. Not even a dust bunny. She moved on to the closet. Sandwiched amongst jeans and cargo pants hung one gorgeous green dress. _Probably you wore it once. Let me guess, a man was involved? _Finding nothing useful, the brunette turned her attention to the dresser. The top was bare except for a few framed pictures and a bottle of perfume. Bulgari Blu. _Just give me a clue, anything, were did you go Ziva? Let me find you before it's too late!_

The brunette opened Ziva's dresser drawers one by one. She rifled through her neatly folded clothing, careful not to leave a trace. To her amusement the bottom drawer held a man's clothing and personal affects. The brunette gave a mental laugh and removed a pair of boxers. _ Ah. Smell those pheramones. You always did have good taste Ziva. _

"I'd put those back if I were you." Came a male voice from behind her. The brunette turned sharply and found herself looking into the business end of a Sig Sauer.

She raised her hands and let the boxers slowly flutter to the floor. "I need to talk to Ziva David." She said. "I'm a friend."

XXXXX

Gibbs groaned and picked up the bedside phone. In his experience 4 am phone calls were rarely good news. "Yeah."

"Gibbs. It's Fornell. I've got something for you. Two of my agents caught a woman sneaking around Officer David's apartment early this morning. All she'll say is that she needs to talk to Ziva and that it's a matter of life and death. Want me to bring her to the safe house or into NCIS?

Gibbs sat up, immediately alert. "Can you get Ziva and Tony to NCIS without being seen?"

"You bet."

"Then do it. We may have to hold this woman for a while and I want to make sure it's on our turf."

XXXXX

"So this woman's a friend of yours?" Tony asked.

"Her name is Rebekah Senesh." Ziva said. "And yes, she's a friend."

Together Tony and Ziva stood in the darkened control room looking through the one way mirror into Interrogation. Rebekah Senesh sat lounging in the world's most uncomfortable chair. Tony was used to the fidgeting, swearing, crying, threatening and violence that suspects displayed while waiting to be interrogated. This woman looked like she was waiting for her nail polish to dry.

Rebekah Senesh had straight brown hair cut in angle around her face. Her ice blue eyes stood out against her dark olive skin. Of Ziva's approximate height and weight, she looked like her clothes had been spray painted on. She wore pointy leather boots with four inch heels, a form fitting leather jacket and leather pants cut to accentuate her round bottom. Her reds lips curved into a grin as she looked at the mirror. She removed her jacket and Tony was treated to a set of breasts that would have made a dominatrix jealous.

"What does she do for a living? Eat men?" Tony asked.

"Wet work." Ziva said.

"Assassination?" he said. "And you're friends?"

"Since childhood." She replied, either missing or ignoring the incredulity in his voice.

Tony gave her palm a squeeze. "It's never boring with you, you know?"

"Good." Ziva replied. Sensing something amiss with his palm she picked his hand up for a look. Bite marks stood out in red relief against his skin. She raised his palm to her mouth and kissed it. "Better?"

"Much. Next time don't bite so hard." He admonished. He rubbed his palm. It had been completely unintentional, but it still hurt.

"Don't cover my mouth and I won't have to." She retorted.

"I didn't want the Fric and Frac to hear us making love. You're loud you know."

"Oh- I'm loud?" She swiveled to face him, leaning forward in a defiant "Bring it on," gesture.

Tony didn't get a chance to do anything about it. The door flung open and Gibbs entered. "You're on Ziva."

"Great." Ziva swept out of the room with out a backwards look. _Whew. The one place I don't want to be today is between Tony and Gibbs._ She had debated telling Gibbs she'd confessed to Tony but decided against. They were already in too much trouble. Best to let it remain unsaid. She shook off her thoughts and entered interrogation.

Rebekah rose to greet her. "Shalom Ziva." She said kissing each cheek.

"Shalom Rebekah." Ziva replied returning her kisses.

Rebekah sat at the table and sighed heavily, her breasts rising and falling like buoys with the tide. "I missed you Ziva."

"Me too. We used to have so much fun together." Ziva pulled a chair over and sat next to her. This wasn't so much an interrogation as a gabfest between girlfriends.

"I know. Remember that time in Beirut when-" Rebekah broke off blushing.

Ziva laughed. "I know." She paused, rerunning the night the two of them had seduced a suspected enemy of the state for information. "How's married life?"

"Good. You really ought to settle down sometime." Rebekah stretched, pushing her feet flat against the floor and extending her body into the chair.

Ziva laughed deep in her chest. "Not likely Rebekah."

"I thought you'd say that." Rebekah smiled a wicked smile. She leaned into Ziva and said in a conspiratorial voice, "Not even with your new fly boy? I've been in your apartment. He smells divine. What's his name?"

"Not now Rebekah." _I am not going to walk down this path anywhere our conversation is being recorded. Especially not when the two men listening are Tony and Gibbs_. Her heart was flopping at the thought of them together in a small dark room with out supervision. _Behave yourselves boys._

"What's the matter? He married?" Rebekah teased.

"No. I think we have more important things to talk about. Why were you sneaking around in my apartment?"

"Because you're in trouble." The laughter left Rebekah's voice and her face darkened.

"You're a little late for that." Ziva said. She lifted her shirt and displayed her ribs.

"I mean _big_ trouble Ziva." Rebekah said non-plussed. "A lot of people are going to wind up dead if we don't do something fast."

"Whoa. Care to explain?"

Rebekah leaned forwards and rested her forearms against the table. For a second Ziva thought her boobs might actually flip over the neckline of her shirt and land on the table. "It seems there's a new organization out of D.C. that specializes in intelligence gathering and wet work. It's not tied to any government and it has no specific agenda that I know of. A man who calls himself Ian Miller contacted me and offered me a job."

"And you accepted?" Ziva asked in as flat a voice as she could muster.

"Just to stay in the loop. I haven't exactly left the spy game."

"Sorry. Go on."

"Any way, this man Ian's the go between and he's the only one who knows for certain who's in charge. If we find him we find out who's responsible for your attempted murder. Not to mention the murders of many innocent people."

"So what are we waiting for? Let's contact him." Ziva said hurridly. _Maybe the end is in sight. Maybe I can get back to my life._

"It doesn't work like that. It seems there's an initiation in the group." Rebekah scratched her head.

"I'm guessing it's not how much beer you can chug." Ziva quipped. _Oh my God I'm becoming Tony._

Rebekah chuckled. "No. Each potential employee was given a target to kill. When they have proof of the hit they follow the contact protocol to meet this Ian fellow and then the person in charge."

"So what did I do that got me on this list?" Ziva asked.

"I don't know Ziva. I can think of several people who'd want to kill you, how about you?" Rebekah said sarcastically.

"You've got a point."

"Uh Huh. So here's my thinking. This Ian Miller fellow doesn't know what I look like. We'll stage the murder I am supposed to commit and then we'll pass you off as me. Once you meet you can interrogate him."

"Sounds good. Who is he?"

"He who?"

"The man you were supposed to kill. The one we need to find."

Rebekah sighed. "It'd be a shame to off him. The guy's real hottie."

"Who Rebekah?" Ziva persisited.

"Some Fed named Anthony DiNozzo."

XXXX

Okay. Don't forget to review. What do you think?


	9. girl talk

"I forgot how much fun this is." Ziva said with a laugh. She sat in her underwear on a chair in Abby's office slowly morphing herself into a Rebekah Senesh clone. It was shortly after dark. In a few short hours she had to walk into the Infinity Nightclub with photos of a dead Tony DiNozzo and a severed index finger. The photos Abby and McGee could fake. The finger part was more difficult. Maybe Ducky would let her borrow one off of a John Doe.

"I know." Rebekah replied happily. She pulled Ziva's curly hair tightly through a flat iron straightening it. "It's all part of the great game."

"I can do my own hair Rebekah. I'm not a doll."

"I know that but you're supposed to be me, so I'm going to do it. The deception is in the details."

"Fine."

Rebekah piled Ziva's hair on her head in a slightly messy twist securing it with a few hairpins. "So when do I get to meet this new flyboy of yours?" She mumbled around a mouth full of pins. "Tell me, how is he?" She winked.

"You've already seen his dossier." Ziva said ignoring her second question. "I imagine you've seen some lovely glossy headshots."

"Oh my God." Rebekah rammed a hairpin into Ziva's head. "You don't mean DiNozzo? The guy I was supposed to kill?

"The one and only." Ziva rubbed the tiny puncture in her scalp with her finger. She really hated having her hair put up.

"Wow. What luck. If this test had gone to another agent you'd be burying another lover." Rebekah said settling in front of her to begin her makeup.

Ziva made a strangled sound deep in her throat. _Don't remind me._

"Sorry to bring up bad memories." Rebekah rummaged through her purse and extracted a make up compact. "So when are you going to give me the details?" She swiped shiny black eye shadow across Ziva's lids.

"Never." Ziva said straight faced. _But oh, how I would love to spill every last detail to you._

"C'mon, you know you want to tell me." Rebekah wheedled. She handed Ziva a pair of low cut black leather pants. "You can't wear underwear with these or it'll crawl up your bottom."

Ziva looked them over. "Pass me the baby powder. I don't think I can get these on with out it."

"Honey, neither can I." Rebekah paused, "So is DiNozzo the same guy you told me about? The rug burn incident?"

Ziva felt the familiar burn of guilt in her stomach. _It's okay. Tony forgave you_. "Rebekah, that was my boss. Keep it quiet okay?"

"Right. Sorry. Seriously, you've got to tell me about this guy."

"I will. Let's just finish this first." Ziva shook baby powder onto her legs and shimmied into her pants. _I'd better not have to pee anytime soon. Or sit down. Or eat._

Rebekah appraised a silky black scrap of fabric by the desk light. "Here's your top." She helped Ziva slip it over her head. "Now let's have a look at you." Rebekah's eyes flittered over Ziva in admiration. "Oh baby. Your guy had better have a strong heart or you'll kill him."

_If I haven't killed him yet I think he'll survive._ "I need to see the team."

"You need to find a full length mirror and look at yourself first." Rebekah said. " 'Cause wow."

"No time Rebekah." Ziva could feel her pulse quicken in her veins. She was close to the end she could feel it. Then soon her biggest concern would be the wrath of Gibbs.

"Okay. Want to go see how the re-faking of lover boy's death is going?" Rebekah asked.

"Yes."

"So you want to hear my theory about your predicament?" Rebekah wrapped her arm around Ziva's waist as the exited the lab.

"Shoot."

"I think someone out there has a shit list and you're on it. I think they're cleaning house of all of the people that have pissed them off. The only thing is, how'd you and DiNozzo both end up on the same list?"


	10. too late

Once again the usual disclaimer. I don't own these guys, I'm not making money off of them. Okay, I made up Rebekah but her last name is appropriated from Hanah Senesh.

XXXX

Pale and bloodless as a vampire, Tony lay on a slab in autopsy covered from the waist down by a sheet. The frigid cold of the table cramped his muscles uncomfortably.Above him, McGee snapped pictures of his 'corpse.' Thanks to Abby he looked as though he'd been shot in the chest. She'd even faked the Y incision of his Autopsy.

"Hey Abbs, how'd you know how to do this?" Tony asked.

"I have a frien- Ulk." Abby covered her mouth and dashed to the stainless steel industrial sink. She stuck her head in and threw up.

"You gonna be okay Abbs? That's the third time this hour." Tony propped himself up on his elbow and studied her. Abby didn't seem as peppy as usual. She looked sleepy and her eyes were bloodshot. Come to think of it, McGee looked a little queasy too.

"I'm Fine." Abby said wiping her mouth.

"So why are we re-faking your death?" McGee asked Tony. "The ride in the body bag wasn't fun enough for you?'

Tony lay down and let out his breath. He responded in the familiar '_you're an idiot McGee'_ tone. "Because Ziva's femme fatale friend needs proof of the kill to hand to her contact. We need my picture on a slab in the morgue."

"Don't forget the finger." Abby's face loomed into view. "Hold your breath for the shot Tony. Corpses don't breath."

McGee snapped a close up of Tony's hand. Later, through the magic of photo shop he would make it appear that his corpse was missing a finger. "So let's get this straight. Some nameless nefarious group operating out of DC wants to kill you, and Ziva almost died at the hands of a half brother she didn't know she had."

"Yes." Tony said. _Why? Because I'm in love with a crazy woman with an even crazier family! Heaven help us we had better never have kids. They'd be cute, but oh, so deadly._

McGee lowered his camera and shook his head. "I'm so confused."

"Just now you're confused Probie? I'm impressed." Tony craned his head in the direction of the door. Ziva was the only woman he knew who could get ready in five minutes flat and she had disappeared an hour ago. He couldn't imagine what was keeping her.

"Stay still Tony. You're supposed to be dead." Abby scolded.

Obediently Tony settled back down and stared at the ceiling_. Ziva owes me big time for this. Wait. There's not enough sex in the world to make up for this. _

He heard Gibbs enter autopsy and approach the slab. He swallowed a swig of coffee before speaking. "How far along are you Abbs?"

Abby was hovering over Tony. Her eyes went as wide as goose eggs and she swallowed hard. "About three months."

_Holy Crap. _Tony sat bolt upright as though he'd been shocked. He looked around the room. _Did I hear right? Is she pregnant?_ He glanced at McGee. He looked pasty and light headed. He looked at Gibbs. The man of steel looked like he'd just taken a sucker punch. "I was talking about the photos." Gibbs said, staring at Abby with laser bright eyes.

"I was talking about my bun in the oven." Abby said meeting his gaze levelly.

"And the father is?" Gibbs asked, resting a hand on Abby's shoulder.

"I'm not going to tell until I'm sure you're not going to fit him with cement shoes and use him as an anchor on your boat." Abby retorted.

"That's the least of his worries." Gibbs replied. His cell phone rang, and he snapped it open. "Gibbs." He listened for a moment before slamming the phone shut with more force than necessary. "I'm going to MTAC," He said and hurried out.

Once Gibbs was safely out of sight Tony whacked McGee on the back with a resounding thud. "Hey, McGee, buddy. Congratulations man, your swimmers work."

XXXX

In the darkness of the nearly empty Bull Pen Tony sat waiting for Ziva and Rebekah. He felt nervous and ill at ease. Something was about to go terribly wrong. He could feel it. Try as he might he couldn't shake the gnawing sensation of dread deep in the pit of his stomach. He hadn't felt this way since before the raid on the warehouse that left Kate dead. He looked around to see if the team shared his worry. McGee was doing some geeky thing on the computer. Abby napped, head down on Ziva's desk. Gibbs was still in MTAC with the director. Apparently he was alone in his fear.

The elevator doors slid open with a _Ding!_ and Rebekah stepped out looking like Commando Barbie. She smiled at Tony like a cat at prey and stepped aside, revealing Ziva. Tony felt his mouth go dry and his tongue cleave to the roof of his mouth at the sight of her. One look was all it took. He felt the familiar surge of heat in his groin.

She wore a black backless top so sheer she might as well have been naked. Her hip hugging leather pants revealed the cut muscles of her stomach. She strutted towards him with a walk designed to make men forget their wives and girlfriends. Swiftly she approached him on her stiletto heels and leaned down over his desk. He could see everything, nipples, belly button and bruise.

Ziva cocked her head to the side and studied him with ocean blue eyes. "Drool is how nature says 'don't touch' Tony. "

"I think that get up is how nature says 'Don't Touch', don't you Zee-Vah?" Tony replied sarcastically. _Great. And erection of epic proportions and I can't do anything about it. Oh my God. I can't get up from my desk. Not unless I'm alone. _

Rebekah rounded Tony's desk and came up behind him. She brushed up along side of him, her breasts grazing his shoulder. "These look great." She said, studying the pictures of him on the slab. "You don't feel like parting with a finger do you?"

"Not on your life." He snapped.

"How about on yours?" Rebekah asked coolly. She let her gaze flit to his lap and smiled. She whispered, her breath hot in his ear. "I see you like Ziva's outfit. Just so you know she's not wearing any underwear."

"Thanks. You've made everything so much better." He said. _I take it back Ziva. She's the sick chick._

"Don't worry about the finger Rebekah. Ducky found one for me. It's fresh even." Ziva said. She still leaned on Tony's desk, studying him. Tormenting him was always great fun.

"You'd better hope it's not windy out or you'll lose that shirt." He taunted.

"Hmmp." She said, giving him a slight toss of her head. "I suppose you think _the girls_ belong to you?"

"Want to know what I think? I think-"

"I think you'd better shut up DiNozzo." Gibbs said, appearing on the Bull Pen floor. He paused for a moment to raise his eyebrow at Ziva and then went back to looking pissed.

"What's the plan Boss?" Tony asked, edging himself closer to his desk. _Ignore her. Maybe it'll go away and you won't embarrass yourself like a teenage boy. _

Grumpily Gibbs began to issue orders. "McGee, you are to accompany Abby to our government safe house. The way this situation is deteriorating she needs to be protected. Let her out of your sight and you're a dead man."

"Will do boss." McGee nodded, relieved to maintain his anonymity as the father of Abby's child.

"Tony, you and Rebekah get to stay in the car as backup. I'm going into the club with Ziva. Let's go." He grabbed and extra clip from his desk drawer and strode towards the elevator.

Rebekah looked at Tony and Ziva and grinned. Both were locked in a visual pissing match. Neither of them noticed her deftly insert herself between McGee and Abby and shepherd them along. She hustled them into the elevator and turned around, punching the door closed.

"Rebekah!" Ziva shouted, annoyed. She sprinted to catch up. Too late. The doors slid shut. She reached out to press the elevator's call button but Tony knocked her hand out of the way. Swiftly he positioned himself between her and the button.

"Not so fast CatWoman. I want to talk to you." He had to explain his apprehension to her, get her to stop or switch places with Rebekah.

Ziva grabbed a fistful of his shirt and hauled him forward. "You had better not be trying to stop me from doing my job Tony." He could feel her body humming along in high gear, riding a wave of adrenaline. Convincing her to back down would not be easy.

"I have a bad feeling about this Ziva. I'm worried." He said seriously.

"I'll be fine." She released him. "Now get out my way."

"No."

"Get out of my way or I'll shoot you." She said impatiently.

He saw color rise in her cheeks. He smiled his half-smile. She had no patience with him and he loved it. He laughed. "I can see every inch of your body and there's no way you have a gun or knife hidden anywhere on you."

"True." She said, dragging the word out.

"There's no way in hell you're going to this meet unarmed."

"I'm not carrying, but I am armed." She said. He saw a glint of something he didn't recognize in her eye. She licked her lips.

"Yeah right. Ninja chick. I forgot."

"That's not what I'm talking about." Ziva pushed him roughly against the wall. Her body heat radiated through him in waves. "Mmmm." She sighed in his ear. She had a whole vocabulary of lovemaking sounds. Tony recognized this one as a precursor to hot, heavy and quick. She rocked her hips against his in simulation of lovemaking. "Oh." She said softly. "Oh."

Ziva nipped her way up his neck and kissed his earlobe. "You'd better not cover my mouth. I'm in the mood to scream," she said with a velvety purr.

He let out a low guttural groan. She had him. He couldn't think about anything but sex when she used that voice. He grabbed her bottom fiercely and squeezed it, moving her in rhythym with him. He kissed her deeply, letting his tongue slowly tangle with hers._ I can't believe I'm doing this here. Oh well. It's dark. _ He released one hand and moved to insert his finger into the band of her pants.

Ziva broke off his kiss abruptly, pushing him back with her hand flat on his chest.

"Tony. These pants take 10 minutes to get on or off."

"So?"

"So you're not taking my pants off." She said.

"Sweet cheeks," he moaned.

"Don't worry. I have plans for you." She kissed him forcefully while she unbuttoned his shirt. She pushed the fabric aside and ran her hands over his ribs. "Mmmm." She moaned again. She placed her mouth on his flesh and flicked her tongue down the centre of his chest slowly, stopping just short of his waistband. Tony undid his pants, urging her lower. She obliged, kissing his exposed flesh gently.

"Swallow?" he asked dryly. She nodded yes.

He never saw it coming. Her hand slid up to press the elevator call button. Waiting for it, Ziva moaned as she kissed him. When she heard it slide open she peeled herself off and leapt in, leaving him standing befuddled on the brink of release.

"Don't ever try to stop me again Tony DiNozzo! Oh and in cause you missed it, sex is a weapon." She said as she punched 'close.' Just before the doors slid shut she shouted. "Go take a cold shower!"

"Too late." He hollered back.

XxXXX

So what'd you think? Not enough? Too much? Just right? Let me know.


	11. Black Widow

_He had it coming_. Ziva told her self. _How dare he try to stop me!_ She hustled her way into the NCIS garage in a huff. She found Gibbs and Rebekah waiting for her next to Rebekah's car, a grey 1990 Peugot 504. Ziva knew better than to ask how she'd managed to get it NCIS.

"Busy Officer David?" Gibbs asked. He looked like he was struggling with some sort of foreign emotion. Acceptance? Denial?

"Elevator problems." She said breezily.

Rebekah lounged against her car. She smiled at Ziva and made a kissing face.

Ziva heard running behind her. Apparently Tony had taken the stairs. _Damn!_ She heard him pound the pavement and come to a stop beside her, barely touching her arm. She didn't dare look at him. Anger surged from him like electricity from a high-tension wire and she didn't want to get zapped.

"Did you change your pants DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked suspiciously.

"Coffee spill boss."

Gibbs gave a small shake to his head and opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't start." Ziva fired off.

Gibbs went wide-eyed and left his comment unsaid. "DiNozzo you're with Senesh. Ziva you're with me."

"Sounds good." Rebekah reached into her bra and pulled out her car key. "You drive stick?" She asked Gibbs, tossing him the key.

Ziva snatched it out of the air as it sailed past. She clutched the key and held it white knuckled in her fist. Her voice serious she said. "Tony's going as my back up Gibbs." She felt all eyes on her. She didn't care. The car ride with Tony would be hell but there was no one she'd rather have as a partner. Not even Gibbs or Rebekah. Ziva wrenched the car door open and got in the driver's seat. _"Tony!"_ she called.

Gibbs grabbed Tony's collar before he could follow her. "DiNozzo. If you can't let her do her job you need to quit or break up." He released him and gave him a slap on the head.

"Glad we had this talk boss." Tony said.

"This wasn't the talk. That happens later."

XXXXX

Twenty minutes into their drive Ziva could no longer take the feeling of Tony's eyes burning into her skull. She swung into the break down lane and mashed on the brakes. Forty feet of burned rubber later the car came to a screeching halt between the guardrail and a cement truck.

"Problem?" Tony asked.

She jerked the emergency brake up. "You're driving."_ Go ahead and drive this hunk of junk. At least you'll have to face forward._

Ziva lifted her body up. She put her shoulders on the back of her seat and straightened. She slid side ways over the gear shift and hovered over Tony for a moment as if about to sit down. Then she flipped over to face him. Hands placed above his shoulders on the seat, she leaned suggestively over him.

"You're lucky I'm a nice guy or I'd Gibbs slap you into next week right now. It wouldn't be on the head either." Tony said.

"Maybe some other time." She paused, "What are you waiting for? Slide out from under me."

"Just enjoying the view." He reached up to stroke her between her legs.

Ziva slapped his errant hand. "In a car by the side of the highway? You've got to be kidding me!"

"I've done it before."

"Me too. That doesn't mean I liked it."

_I'll remember that._ Reluctantly Tony slid into driver's seat.

"Careful" Ziva said. "Rebekah rides the clutch and the synchro is going on first gear. Oh, and the power steering is shot." _That ought to keep you busy._

Tony pushed the gas pedal to the floor and urged the car up to break neck speed in the emergency lane before squeaking into traffic. Ziva was right about the car. He smelled the raw stink of burning clutch as he ground it into the floor.

"That stunt you pulled back there by the elevator, you've done that before." Tony couched the question as a statement.

"I'm a black widow Tony. Be grateful all I was after was a button."

Tony gagged on the image. He had never been bothered by Ziva's past sex life. Now he hoped he'd be able to make love to her with out thinking he was enjoying some nameless man's last sight.

"Why'd you do it to me?" he asked.

Ziva looked at her lap. "I can be difficult sometimes."

Tony laughed sarcastically. "Right, and sometimes I like sex."

Ziva snorted back a laugh. Then she got quiet. She looked at him, his profile illuminated by the headlights of passing cars. She noted the grim set to his mouth and the tight lines around his eyes. She rested her hand on his leg. "I feel scared too. But I'm not going to let it stop me. I need to finish this."

XXXXX

At quarter to midnight Tony and Ziva pulled in the parking lot out side The Infinity Night Club. It was a combination of Antebellum grace and new millennium hi tech. Blocks of light and fast paced music spilled from the ivy covered brick façade. Tony studied the lot. Rebekah and Gibbs were nowhere to be seen.

"I know about this place." He said. "It used to be an old Bordello."

"A what?"

"Whore house."

"How very James Bond. You must be excited."

They sat in silence as they watched the comings and goings, acclimating to their surroundings. The lot was full of people in varying states of undress. A line guarded by a bouncer built like a fridge snaked into the building. The man appeared to be checking off names at the door.

"It's not the place I'm excited about." Tony gave Ziva the once over-again. "So here's the problem. You're on the guest list and I'm not."

"I think I can manage a distraction." Ziva said.

"Sweet Cheeks. You are the distraction." Tony grinned. He got serious. "We have fifteen minutes."

"Good for you. You can tell time."

"It's not too late to back out." He said.

"We've talked about this and the answer is no."

Ziva had her hand on the door handle. Tony reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist. He pulled her into his lap and kissed her soft, sweet and slow. "I L-" He stopped short. He couldn't get it out. I sounded too much like a good bye.

"I know. Me too." She said. Now was not the time. She was focused on the mission ahead. Ziva turned to leave. Midway she changed her mind. She turned back to him. Grabbing a fistful of his shirt she kissed him passionately. "Just in case." She said. Then she switched her comm. on and placed it in her ear.

Ziva got out of the car with out a backwards look. She moved through the parking lot alert, sensing tingling. The energy adrenaline brings flowed through her. She was on the hunt. _Pay attention or get dead Ziva. You want time to make up later? Focus!_

Ziva sauntered to the front of the line and cut in front of a skinny platinum blonde dressed in a purple body suit. She said to the bouncer. "Rebekah Senesh. Ian Miller is expecting me."

The man made a show of checking the list on his clipboard but his eyes never left Ziva.

Ziva laughed flirtatiously and looked over his shoulder. She saw Tony, a wrath in the background. She reached out a finger to touch the guard's chest. "Oh my." She murmured. "Got a girl friend?"

"I get off work at three."

"I'll remember that." Ziva smiled. She watched Tony move into the building and disappear from sight. She gave the guard a little wink and walked on.

Ziva entered the club, the lights and music an assault to her senses. "I'm in." She said to the team.

"You see him Ziva?" She heard Tony's voice in her ear.

Her eyes swept over the floor, taking in the strobes, couples making love clothed on the dance floor, people at the bar. The steady Thump Thump Thump of the music beat in time to her heart.

She spied a black haired man feeling up a woman at the bar. "I see him." Miller had his hand up his date's skirt and looked to be three sheets to the wind. _This won't take long. You know the type. A little innuendo and he'll give you what you want. Just pretend your hitting on Tony. _ She thought of their last interlude and felt the familiar 'c'mon baby' smile creep over her face.

Ziva swayed up to Miller. Tony watched her move, momentarily forgetting how mad he was with her. He watched the stares and the head turns. Part of him wanted to shout out_. Look all you want but she goes home to me._

Ziva tapped Miller on the back. He turned around to face her, the sheer fabric all that separated his eyes from her breasts. "Beat it." He said to his companion. He didn't move his eyes from Ziva.

His date started to complain. Ziva clamped a hand on the woman's shoulder and squeezed. "Move it honey."

The woman mumbled a curse and left. Ziva plunked herself down into her seat.

"Rebekah Senesh I presume. Get you a drink?" Miller looked her over from head to toe.

"Vodka on the rocks." She hated the stuff but it was Rebekah's favorite.

Miller grinned. "I'm surprised to see you. You've never shown your face in public." He accepted the glass from the bar tender and slid it towards her.

"The price you'll be paying is well worth it."

"You have proof of the kill?" He asked, ogling.

Ziva slid him a manila envelope filled with Tony's pictures and a small Tupperware container with a finger.

"I took the finger first." She smiled.

Miller laughed. He swallowed the rest of his drink and motioned for a refill. "I've heard you're a black widow."

"Perhaps. What else have you heard?" Ziva rested her chin on her hand, showing him the inside of her forearm, an open invitation.

"That you're a bit of a sexpot."

"Only if the right man comes along. I'm more discriminating these days." She knew Tony could hear her. It was a veiled attempt at an apology. Or was it a reassurance? "So are you going to take me to see your boss?" She feigned a sip of her drink.

"That's not allowed. She wants to remain anonymous."

_So it's a she is it? That narrows down the list. _

"I need to see your boss." She said.

"I don't know about that." Miller stared at her, memorizing her breasts.

Ziva reached out to run her finger up his jawline. He waffled. She leaned in and kissed him, sucking his bottom lip. "Take me to see her and I'll take you anywhere you want to go."

His eyes widened. "Follow me." Miller got up and left his unfinished drink on the bar. Ziva followed him. Miller wrapped his arm around her waist, his fingers pressed between the leather of her pants and her warm flesh. _Yuck! Yuck! Yuck!_ _When this is over I'm going to shower with Borax and boiling water._

Tony, ensconced in the crowd watched her walk past before following. He felt sorry for the man for a second. Miller had no idea the trouble he was holding. Tony snaked through the crowd weaving around couples, and several amorous women. He saw Ziva and Miller disappear through a door to the side of the bar. He hurried to follow them.

Ziva followed Miller through the door, down a long hall and up several flights of carpeted red steps. On the top floor they went left down a semi-lit hall. Miller threw open a heavy oak door. "Here we are."

They stepped into an empty room carpeted in red. The walls were floor to ceiling mirrors. A blazing crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. "We wait here. She'll be out." He went to kiss her again and Ziva pulled back. "Business first."

The hair on the back of her neck prickled. She had the uncanny feeling of being watched. Ziva felt her heart begin to skip. _Tony was right. Something bad is about to happen._

Miller suddenly slapped his hand to his ear. Did he have a comm. link she missed? Had she been thinking of Tony and missed something vital?

Miller spun towards her, gun in hand. "You're not Rebekah Senesh, Miss David."

Ziva zeroed in on the gun. She swung a crescent kick at it, leg coming up in front of her body and arcing down. She knocked it to the floor with a soft thump. She grabbed Miller's left arm with hers and pulled him towards her. She rammed the heel of her right palm up under his nose. She felt a satisfying crunch as the bone shattered and blood spurted. Miller keeled over and hit the floor. The lights in the room went out.

Stunned by the sudden darkness Ziva let her guard down. Sharp barbs pierced her bare back. She convulsed and hit the floor as electricity coursed through her body. _Run Tony. _She thought before she blacked out.

Meanwhile Tony crept up the stairs as fast as he dared. He guessed the club was still a Bordello giving the squeaking going on behind several of the doors. _Why does everybody have to be having sex tonight but me? _He pushed the idea to the background and tried not to think of Ziva as anything other than his work partner.

Stealthily Tony crept along the hall his sidearm drawn. He wasn't taking any chances. He heard a shot ring out and he raced to the room where Ziva had disappeared. Through the open door he saw Miller slumped against the wall, brain matter decorating the mirrored wall. No Ziva. Then he felt it. Sharp piercing shocks in his back sent shards of pain through him. _Ziva, _he thought and blacked out.

XXXXX

Okay. Next chapter you'll find out who did it. Promise. I love reviews. They sure are motivational. Hint Hint. Cheers, jeanne


	12. darkness so deep

Hey all-disclaimer's in the first chapter and if you haven't read

XXXXX

Ziva was about to come. She braced herself, forearms against the shower wall, legs wide, letting Tony have his way with her. She arched her back as he sought her out with his fingers. A scream erupted from deep with in and she began to howl. Abruptly Tony stopped, removing his hand and stepping out of the shower.

"What are you doing? Keep going!" She begged.

"I don't think so sweet cheeks. Payback's a bitch isn't it?"

Ziva woke with a start _It was just a dream_. Her eyes opened to darkness so deep she was blinded. _Where am I?_ Groggily she took in her surroundings. Her cheek lay against something firm and warm.She smelled dank, stale, dust clogged air. Unyielding concrete vibrated ever so slightly under her abused body. A low droning rumble permeated the background. She stretched and grunted in pain. Her right hand was attached to something on the floor. She shook her arm and heard chain clink.

"Awake?" came Tony's voice. The warm and firm thing was his lap. He rested his hand on her hair for a moment before helping her sit up.

"Yes."

"Have a nice dream?"

"I wasn't dreaming."

"Hmm. Something about 'don't stop you bastard!' and some groaning? You went unfulfilled didn't you sweet cheeks?" He teased.

"Don't call me that." She snapped. She felt cranky. Her body ached miserably and her cracked ribs brought tears to her eyes. She was grateful Tony couldn't see her cry.

"Fine. You were dreaming my little howler monkey."

_Don't egg him on. Ignore him._ "How long have I been out?" She rubbed her head

"Long enough that I was starting to forget I was mad." Tony reached out and touched her face. He noticed the dampness and but didn't comment. It'd only make her mad.

"Do you know where we are?" Ziva asked.

"I have no idea. But where ever we are we're handcuffed to the floor." He said.

With her unchained arm Ziva felt out her surroundings. Her hand skimmed over a filthy, greasy floor and came to rest on a metal ring. Both she and Tony were attached to it each with a separate pair of handcuffs. _I can pick these. I just need a hairpin. _

"Have you seen our captors yet?" Ziva put her hand to her head only to find her hair down. Whoever had subdued them had relieved her of their means of escape. She checked her scalp hoping a pin had been overlooked. Nothing.

"Nope. But there is good news." Tony said with a little lilt to his voice.

"And that is?"

"Our naughty bits still line up."

"This is not the time Tony." She smacked him. "Hey, do you smell that?"

Tony sniffed the air. "It smells like gasoline."

"Not just any gas. Jet fuel. The droning. The vibrations. I think we're in an airplane hanger." Ziva said excitedly.

"Jet fuel. That's a little specific don't you think?"

"I went with a pilot once." She said. Tony couldn't see her face but still heard her smirk.

"Went where?"

"For a ride, what do you think?" She said, her mouth close to his ear.

"Shh. I hear someone."

Ziva clamped her mouth shut. Together they listened in silence. Delicate footsteps moved up metallic stairs. Suddenly the lights flicked on. Ziva and Tony pushed their eyelids shut against the painful assault.

Click Clack.

Ziva had her back to the door but she knew the walk. _Impossible._ She spun and found herself facing none other than her former sister-in-law, Hannah. Hannah had been Ari's wife.

"Shalom Ziva." Hannah squatted in front of them, resting lightly on the balls of her feet. In her right hand she clutched Tony's Sig Sauer. She tipped her head to the side and honed in on Ziva. She smiled and her eyes showed cold and hollow.

"You always thought you were better than me. Didn't you Ziva? You never saw me the night I followed you. The night you murdered my husband." She paused for a moment, delighting in Ziva trying to hide her surprise.

_Tsk tsk _Hannah clicked her tongue. "You have some cracked ribs I hear? Too bad." She rose and leveled a swift kick into Ziva's chest. Ziva grunted and fell back against Tony. She wouldn't give Hannah the satisfaction of her scream. Instead she bit her tongue and tasted blood.

Hannah sighed, a low contented sound. "You were perfect, you know? I was going to kill you back in your apartment that night we fought-but then I saw lover boy here and I thought- let her find the love of her life –_again_-and then make her bury him. It'd be almost like what you'd done to me."

Ziva lay against Tony, wheezing and winded. Tony clasped her shoulders. He was afraid she'd do something stupid and go after Hannah and she was in no condition to win.

Taking advantage of Hannah's of focus on Ziva, Tony surveyed the room. It was a big concrete and steel box lit by halogen lights. There was one window on the far wall equipped with an internal screen and bars. Beside it what stood looked to be a vertical vent covered with metal slats.

"So where does my brother Adam come into this?" Ziva asked. _Was that name of the guy who tried to kill me? I'm not sure now._

"He was with me the night you shot Ari. He wanted to kill you right then and frame Gibbs but I said no. Wait." She laughed. She lifted the Sig and traced the outline of Ziva's body with its barrel. "He always hated you. You might have a lousy father, but at least he acknowledges your existence. Adam isn't –_wasn't_- even a blip on his radar. He was just a jealous bastard I guess." Hannah chuckled at her inadvertent joke. "I took advantage of his anger and we got together for a little revenge and I thought, why not make a business out of it?"

She watched Ziva struggle to regain her breath and smiled. "Only the idiot messed up. He was supposed to wait to kill you until this one met his maker but he just couldn't wait." She said, using the gun to point at Tony.

"What do you want with us?" Ziva asked annoyed.

"Just to have a little fun. Make you pay." Hannah looked at Tony, making sure he recognized his own gun. "I think you'll like this."

She pulled Ziva roughly to her knees and pressed the muzzle of Tony's gun to her side. "Enjoy." She said and pressed the trigger. Ziva howled and crashed backwards into Tony. The sound of her scream tore through him like shrapnel.

Satisfied with herself Hannah left. Pausing in the doorway she called over her shoulder. "I'll be back in a bit. I'm still deciding who to shoot where." She shut the door and they were plunged into darkness.

Tony pressed his hand to Ziva's side as she lay in the fetal position on the floor. He felt warm sticky blood flow through his fingers. It wouldn't be a fatal wound. Hannah had nicked her. She had only wanted to cause her debilitating pain. _Only._ He thought. _Nut job._ _I thought my family was bad_.

"We have got to get out of here now." He said.

"I know." Ziva said. _Breathe deeply. Control yourself. You can flip out when we get out of here if you want._

"I found you something Houdini." Tony sought her hand in the darkness and pressed a hairpin into it. "When Hannah was busy with you I found this on the floor.

Ziva sat up. "I'll pick the cuffs and we'll be ready for her when she comes back."

"Why wait? When the lights were on I saw a vent. I think we could get through it and get outside. You're in no shape to fight Hannah off. We don't even know how many people she has with her."

Ziva paused and for a moment Tony thought she was going to start a fight with him. "Good plan." She said. "Hold my side? I need both hands for this." Careful not to drop their pin Ziva felt her way down Tony's arm to his cuffs.

"Sweet Cheeks, do your own first." He said.

"Uh huh." Ziva ignored him and stuck the flimsy metal pin in the lock of his cuffs. She twisted and poked until she freed the pins and tumblers with a small _click_!

Tony was free. Quickly he put his released hand over her wound. The blood seeped out, but at least it wasn't gushing. Still, the sooner they escaped the better.

"Oh no." Ziva breathed.

"What?"

"The pin's broken. It broke off in your lock. Maybe you can break out and come back for me?"

"I am not leaving you. Hannah's just going to toy with you until she kills you."

"You could still go." She insisted. She knew she loved him but she was a practical person. There was no reason for him to stay.

"No." he said forcefully.

_Think! Think! Think!._ As she had done many times before Ziva envisioned herself achieving her goal and asked herself _How did I get there_? In her minds eye she saw them breathing free air and she had it. "There's one thing left to try but it's going to make me throw up so stand back." She cautioned.

Ziva pulled her right hand against the handcuff with all her might. With her left she reached out and dislocated her thumb. It hurt worse than the gunshot. She muffled a scream and pulled her hand free of the handcuff. Shaking she lay on her side and threw up acidic bile. Now all they had to do was get out of the room.

Tony didn't know what to say to her. Nothing really seemed appropriate to say to woman who'd just dislocated her own thumb on purpose. He grabbed her arm and led her in the direction of the vent.

He ran his hands over the wall until he came in contact with the metal fins of the vent. He felt along the edges. _How am I going to open this? _He tugged on it and a corner gave way in his hands. "This must be our lucky day my little howler monkey because this is loose." He said. He sank his fingers into the grate pulled. It popped out with a squeak. Weak light filtered into the room. They blinked. "You first." He said.

Ziva stuck her head through saw hard black tarmac one storey below. "I see why no one cared it was loose. We're on the second floor. Don't worry. I can jump it." She said. She stuck one leg out in preparation for the drop.

"Not so fast." Tony pulled her back from the opening. "I'll go first and I'll catch you."

"You're going to catch me?"

"I'm gonna try real hard."

Ziva thought about arguing and decided against it. Tony had a point. He was in better shape than she was and chances were they'd still have to run when they broke out.

"Hey." Tony pressed a quick kiss to her lips before stepping out into space. He fell and hit the pavement, rolling to absorb the shock as much as he could. The force of the impact shot through the soles of his feet up his legs into his back. He caught his breath and held his arms up to her. Ziva closed her eyes and jumped. He caught her with and OOF! and set her on the ground.

In the pearly grey morning light they each sucked in a lungful of fresh air. It was then that Tony saw Ziva clearly for the first time. Her olive skin was as pale as Abby's. Dark eye circles marked her face. She was running on adrenaline and anger. He knew she'd be able to keep it together, but for how long? She was stronger than most people he knew but she was still human.

Unaware of his worry Ziva studied their surroundings. They had indeed been in some sort of hanger. As far as she could see left and right airplane hangers like square metals bugs stretched out in a grid. "Let's go left," she said. It might not be the right direction but she wanted to put as much space between them and Hannah as possible.

"Okay." Tony grabbed her hand and tugged her along.

They skirted along the backs of the buildings as noiselessly as possible. Several minutes later Ziva had to stop to catch her breath, leaning against the wall of the hanger for support.

"I can carry you."

"No need. See that?" She pointed down one of the rows. At the far end stood a gate. Beyond it she could see two-lane highway and morning rush hour traffic.

They set off in direction of the highway. Ziva walked quickly. The end was near. Soon she'd be able to rest. What seemed like an eternity later they came to a stop by the side of the road. "Now all we have to do is flag down a car." She said.

"Yeah. The easy part's over." Tony wrapped an arm around her shoulders, holding her up.

"I know. Now we get to have the talk with Gibbs." She said sullenly.

He laughed. "Don't worry Sweet Cheeks. It's worth it."

XXXXX

So, ya saw that one coming didn't you? One or two chappies more. Fluffy stuff though (mostly) you'll like it. Don't forget to review. BTW If you didn't read Pack your gear you ought to-it explains a lot. I would have put it up front but I didn't want to spoil anything- Jeanne


	13. Even

Once again. I don't own this it's just fanfic and I know it.

XXXXX

Tony lay on his back in Ziva's bed, trying to fall asleep. His body called out for slumber as his mind churned the events of the past days over and over like prop wash from a boat. He took advantage of Ziva's absence to sprawl out. It didn't help. He wanted her to be next to him. Tomorrow maybe she would stay with him after she got out of the hospital. Maybe. Ziva didn't often spend the night. She liked her space. It made her happy so he didn't push the issue.

Tony rolled over and stuck his face down into her pillow and inhaled. His whole body ached with sleep deprivation. The thought that in a few hours he needed to pick Ziva up from the hospital made sleep even more elusive. He pushed his face further into her pillow. It didn't help. Snapshots of the past forty-eight hours clicked through his mind on fast forward.

X

After he and Ziva had broken out of the hanger they'd stumbled to side of the highway. Ziva clutched furtively at him. He held her, watching the colour drain from her lips until they were as pale as bleached bone. Her side seeped slowly, the blood running down her leg. Still, she stayed alert and on her feet. In fact, it was she that spotted Gibbs barreling down the highway like a member of hell's racing team.

The blue sedan whizzed past them at light speed, swung into the break down lane and flew backwards in reverse showering them with a spray of gravel. Gibbs leapt out of the car solo. No Rebekah in sight.

"Hey Gibbs." Ziva said before she passed out and pitched head long into him.

X

Shortly after midnight Tony grabbed his blanket and pillow and trudged into the living room to lie down on the sofa. He wrapped himself up like a mummy and willed his mind to stop.

X

He and Gibbs had driven an unconscience Ziva to the hospital fast enough to make the passing scenery blur. She came to in the emergency room and tried to rip out her IV. Ziva had no desire to be a patient. She fought the orderlies voraciously. Tony himself had pinned her to the bed with one hand placed firmly between her collarbones. Gibbs held her feet. Both men were relieved when one of the nurses injected her with diazepam. She suddenly became much more manageable.

Ziva lay in a befuddled Valium haze on her hospital bed with Tony and Gibbs by her side. Tony watched her attentively. She looked better, except for her eyes. They rolled around unfocused reminding him of the goofy plastic arts and crafts eyes that you glued on paper bag puppets as a kid. She rambled and babbled, her internal filter, such as it was, disengaged by the drug.

"So I sleep with Tony." She said to Gibbs, "What the hell do you care? We still do our job. 'Sides. I slept with you and we're fine."

X

The sofa wasn't working. Tony still couldn't sleep. He sat up and channel surfed until he came to some old black and white flick. He watched it with out absorbing anything. He had wanted to stay by Ziva's side in the hospital but Rebekah had kicked him and Gibbs out.

X

In the late afternoon Rebekah breezed into Ziva's room. She bent over her friend and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "We swept the airplane hanger and netted half a dozen operatives. I think some of them will talk."

"And Hannah?" Tony asked.

"Dead. I shot her in the chest. She scurried away but there's no way she could have survived the blood loss. She left a trail like a leaking tanker truck. I'm thinking one of her operatives made off with the body to keep us guessing. I have people there looking for it now." She wet a paper towel with cold water and wiped down Ziva's face. "She get sedated?"

"Ya think?" Gibbs said, speaking for the first time in hours.

"Good. Otherwise she's a real pain in the ass. We've done this before." Rebekah pulled up a chair and sat down. "I'll take it from here boys. You can go home now."

"I'm staying." Tony said. He might be exhausted but he wanted Ziva to know that he cared and would stay.

"Me too." Said Gibbs.

"Trust me. I know Ziva. She doesn't want you to see her like this. Go home and get some sleep. You'll need it so you can deal with her later." Rebekah grabbed Tony's shoulder and lifted him out of the chair, urging him towards the door.

Tony thought about it. He really was tired and when Ziva's diazepam wore off he'd have his hands full. Rebekah would take good care of her. "Give me a minute?" he asked.

Rebekah and Gibbs nodded and left him alone with Ziva.

Tony stared at her for a long while before pressing a kiss to her lips. She might look like hell but he knew she'd make it. "You'd better get better soon sweet cheeks. You owe me." He teased.

Ziva looked at him, smiled, and returned to la la land.

X

Listless, Tony got up from the sofa. He slunk into the bathroom and took a warm shower in the dark. It was Ziva's prescription for a sleepless night. He slumped against the wall and let the water run off him. Gibbs had given him the day to take care of her. Someone had to do it and Tony wasn't quite sure he wanted it to be him. Ziva was in a foul mood. Rarely had he had to remind himself that he loved her enough to not smother her with a pillow. Feeling drowsy he shut of the water, toweled dry and stumbled into bed.

As luck would have it Tony fell asleep two hours before his alarm went off. Groggily he dressed. He rooted through the laundry hamper and pulled out a reasonably clean shirt and pair of jeans. He skipped the shave and drove to the hospital stopping on the way to pick up coffee.

Shortly before 9 he strolled into Ziva's room, a coffee cup in each hand. Ziva wasn't in bed. He heard running water and the idle chatter of two women who know everything about each other. Ah, Ziva was in the shower and Rebekah was babysitting. They spoke in English as Rebekah seemed prone to do.

Listening to their light female voices echo off the tile of the bathroom, Tony pushed back unbidden images of the two pleasing each other under the warm spray. _She's right. Sometimes I'm a jerk. Still, it's a pretty good fantasy._

He sat down to wait in chair by the bed.

"Pass me the razor, I need to shave my legs." Ziva said.

"Sweet heart, I wouldn't if I were you. You're supposed to take it easy for the next two weeks. I've seen the way flyboy looks at you. You're on the dinner menu. You might need an excuse to keep your pants on." Rebekah laughed.

"The bladder infection's enough for me." Ziva replied. Tony smiled. Poor Ziva. Not only did she have cracked ribs, a gunshot wound and a re-set thumb-she'd gotten a bladder infection from wearing those pants. That had almost pushed her over the edge.

Tony listened to them carefully. He'd never seen this side of Ziva before. He knew she had a plethora of friends but he'd never met any of them. Especially not one as willing to reveal everything about her as Rebekah was. He heard the shower shut off and Ziva groan as she exited.

"Careful." Rebekah said. "Remember what happened with your c- section? You almost bled to death."

"Don't worry. It's burned into my mind." Ziva said dryly.

"So this guy of yours, is it serious?" Rebekah asked. Tony heard something clunk against the vanity and then a pause.

"As serious as either one of us gets." Clunk. Shuffle. Swoosh: The sounds of a woman readying herself for the world.

"Do you love him?"

"Yes."

"Did you tell him?" Rebekah asked.

"He knows." Ziva said quietly.

"But you didn't tell him? Sometimes you're such an idiot, you know that?"

"So you've told me. Whoa. Uh oh." He heard a violent retching sound as Ziva empty the contents of her stomach.

"You okay?" Click.

"Better."

"So, have you told him you're ZZZZZZZZZZZZ?" The rest of the conversation was lost to the whine of the hair dryer.

Tony snapped to attention. Ziva had many secrets that he didn't want to know about. This wasn't one of them. _You're what? Tell me what? What other surprises do you have up your sleeve? This doesn't have to do with Gibbs, does it? Some other guy sweet cheeks?_

The hair drier clicked off and Tony heard Rebekah continue. "I can't believe you haven't told him. What are you waiting for? That's the kind of thing a guy is supposed to know. I told my husband as soon as I found out. If he doesn't understand then it's time to bail."

"I'll tell him when I feel like it." Ziva said coolly. "I don't see why it's important now. It might never be."

Tony felt a surge of acidic emotion in his stomach. _What could she possibly be talking about? What could be so important for him to know that Rebekah would be so passionate? It couldn't be another man. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. No. She couldn't be. Damn. What else could she be talking about if she's not pregnant? _

Come to think of it- they hadn't been exactly careful. In fact, he'd been down right negligent. Mentally kicking himself, he got up and let himself into the bathroom.

Ziva jumped when he entered. She was surprised to see him. He'd only snuck up on her once before and he couldn't help but grin as she glared at him.

Rebekah winked at him. It was then Tony realized she'd known he was listening all along. She's set them up.

"I'll take it from her Rebekah." He said. His eyes never left Ziva. She wore only a bandage over her bullet wound. Still she was beautiful.

"That's fine. I have a plane to catch anyway. See you around." Rebekah gave Ziva a kiss on each cheek and a gentle hug. Turning she did the same to Tony. "Take care of each other, okay?" and then she was gone.

Tony helped Ziva pull up her underwear and a pair of her loose cotton pants that she used to exercise. He let his hands rest on her stomach. _Could it be?_

Ziva looked at him like quizzically. "_Tony. _I'm not supposed to have any activity for at least two weeks. What are you doing?"

"Helping." He said.

"More like you're feeling me up."

"Can't I just touch?"

She snorted. "I didn't think you knew those words." She gestured to a pile of clothing on the floor. "Help me put my shirt on? No bra, the wires hurt my ribs."

He obliged and helped her pull a dark low cut T-shirt over her head. He stared at her, as if by looking he could discern her secret.

"I know the look-you over heard me didn't you?" Ziva said angrily. She turned around and began to place the few personal items she had into a small bag. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. She was steamed.

Tony rested his hands lightly on her shoulders and she looked up at him, meeting his gaze in the mirror.

"So what if I did. Is there something I should know?" He asked.

"Eventually, maybe."

"What is it you're not telling me?"

She spun and brushed past him into her room. "It's not important."

"Sounded important."

"It might be. But it's not now." She grabbed the cup of coffee he'd set on the nightstand for her. "This mine? The stuff here is slop." With out waiting for a reply she drank it.

Ziva was determined to change the issue and he knew not to push her but to come at her from a different angle. Tony packed her things into her backpack as he re evaluated the situation. "You know. We haven't exactly been careful. What happened to Abby and McGee can happen to us."

"Trust me. Getting pregnant's not really a concern of mine anymore." She laughed.

_Not a concern anymore? What does that mean? _

"Spill it sweet cheeks. Bare your soul." He prodded.

"No."

"Zee-vah." He rolled his eyes.

"Not yet." She sighed. "Look. If I tell you then we're even for the elevator incident."

"Okay. I'll bite." He said.

She responded by wrapping her arm around his waist and pulling him towards her. "Not here. Take me home first."

XXXXX

All right all. Once more chapter – I lied and redid the ending so that's why it's taking so long- don't forget to review.


	14. Revelations

That evening:

"I mean it Jethro. It's an order. You are not to dismiss either Ziva or Agent DiNozzo or use their involvement with each other against them in any way unless it directly affects their work." Jenny Shepard said. She sat perched on the armchair in her office eating Indian take out with Gibbs.

"Jen." Gibbs shook his head, slowly pushing rice from the take out box onto his plate.

"Don't be a hypocrite. Have you forgotten our days in the field together?" Jen smiled at him, mischief in her eyes.

"The very reason for the rule," he said.

The Director gave a little laugh. "Let them make their own mistakes. Besides. I think those two deserve each other."

"I never pegged you for a romantic." Gibbs replied.

"Romance has nothing to do with it. There's a difference between made for each other and deserving each other. And those two deserve each other."

X

Also That Evening:

Ziva lay on the bathroom floor on her side. In addition to her injuries she could now add a massive headache and sore throat from all the vomiting she'd done. To make matters she was feeling guilty. She'd spent the day angry with Tony over nothing in particular. As soon as they got home she'd picked a fight with him. She'd been so nasty he'd retreated into the living room to wait her out. _Poor guy. All he really wants to do is help and all I want to do is run him over with the car. A couple more days and this will all be over. Uh oh._

She stuck her head into the bowl and heaved again.

"You going to be okay?" Tony appeared in the doorway. He slid down the doorjamb and sat beside her. He rubbed reassuring circles on her back.

"Just appley." Ziva said. _Great. Just great. This has to be one of the most un sexy things you can witness and here he is._

"Peachy?" He offered. He wore his serious face and she didn't like it.

"Not now Tony." She snapped.

"Sure. You've been sick all day."

Ziva recognized it as an attempt to get her to explain and chose to ignore it. She'd managed to evade an explanation all day. "Master of the obvious aren't we now? Ever had a bladder infection?" She said, her voice bitter.

"No. I was talking about Poltergeist like vomiting you've done all day."

Ziva smiled in spite of herself. Tony always used that calm tone with her when she was mad at him. It made her angry and at the same time it took the wind out of her sails.

"It's nothing. Can I get some privacy?" She asked, her voice gentle this time.

"Sure." Tony said. "I'll start dinner."

X

Ziva found Tony in the kitchen dumping a can of soup into a saucepot. _Fantastic. The DiNozzo Specialty. Grilled cheese and canned soup. At least I have wine left. _Ziva pried open the refrigerator and extracted a half empty bottle of white wine. "Want some?"

Tony grabbed the bottle from her and poured it down the sink.

"That was uncalled for don't you think?" She asked.

"What I think is you still owe me an explanation. Start talking," he demanded.

"No." She said, turning her back on him. Tony came up behind her and hugged her, his hands lightly cupping her abdomen.

Roughly Ziva pushed his arms away. "Funny. I thought what with the cracked ribs, gun shot, dislocated thumb and bladder infection that I'd get off the hook."

"Sweet Cheeks. I had to change my pants." He teased.

_Tell him. He deserves to know. _Ziva turned off the burner under the soup. "I need to sit down." She grabbed Tony's hand and led him into the living room. Silently he followed her and sat beside her on a green couch. Ziva didn't look at him, but stared straight ahead to a picture of Tali she had hung on the far wall.

"Just tell me. Are you pregnant?" Tony asked.

"No." She said, her voice shaky.

"Then why've you been so sick? What were you and Rebekah talking about in the shower?"

"It's a long story Tony." Ziva said, her eyes unwavering from the photo.

"Lucky for you I have all night." He said. He watched her breathe, fighting for control against her emotions.

"When I lost my first child in the bombing they told me I'd sustained too much damage to ever get pregnant again and if by some miracle I did, the chances of me carrying a baby to term were slim at best."

Tony felt his stomach knot and flip as if it were trying to turn inside out.

"What do you mean, first child?"

"I was six weeks pregnant with your baby when I miscarried last night." Ziva let out a long shaky sigh. "The doctors said all the hormones take a little while to even out so I'll be sick for a couple of days." It was then that she cried. Slowly and silently tears flowed down her cheeks.

_My baby. All the while she was carrying my baby and I never knew. I wasn't even there when she lost it._ Tony felt like crying himself but wouldn't. Something told him she wouldn't be able to take it.

Instead he pulled her into his lap. She curled up against him and sobbed silently. At length she picked her head up from his shoulder and sniffed. "The strange thing is that as upset as I am, I'm also relieved."

"I feel the same way." He said honestly. "Do you want me to stay tonight?"

"Yes."

X

Ziva stretched, happy to be in her own bed. And as much as she hated to admit it she was happy Tony was with her. She pushed her body into his and was met with a familiar hardness. "That had better not be what I think it is Tony."

"It's a guy thing. We don't really control it."

"I know. It's the other way around." She smacked him playfully on the chest. He grunted and swung out of bed.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"To take a cold shower and sleep on the sofa. It's going to be a long two weeks." He bent to retrieve his pillow and Ziva grabbed him by the back of his neck. She kissed him and nipped his lower lip.

"Ziva. I thought you couldn't-"

She laughed. "I can't. But I can think of another way to take the pressure off. Come back to bed."

X

Okay. I lied again. One more chapter at least. So what do you think? Reviews please!


	15. Seduction

First-Sorry for the delay.

Second-A great big thanks to Jacey05 and TonyZivaFan for their invaluable insight into this chapter. I wish I had something snappy to say but I don't. You both have been great. Mil Gracias.

So the usual disclaimers apply. I don't own these characters. I know it.

One week later:

"You're supposed to take it easy." Tony said.

I did," Ziva replied, sullenly examining her knuckles. For the fifth day in the row she'd beaten out her frustrations, breaking her skin under the force of her punches and kicks. The backs of her hands and tops of her feet looked like she'd skinned them with a cheese grater. She wrenched open the medicine cabinet pulled out a tube of citrus smelling cream. Gently she dabbed it on her bloody patches of missing skin. Her hands and feet throbbed with every heartbeat but she preferred it to emotional pain.

"You need to rest. You just had a miscarriage." Tony admonished. She worried him. The past week she had gone out of her way to pretend nothing was wrong. She'd been abrasive and callous and at times downright nasty. He'd caught her crying several times although she vehemently denied it.

"I'm fine." She said. It was more of a demand to drop the question than a response.

Tony wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close. She did not reciprocate the hug. "It's not your fault you know."

"I know." She felt her throat constrict and her eyes water. _It's not that I necessarily want I child. It's that I want the choice to be mine. Funny. Years ago I thought infertility was a blessing. Now I just don't know_.

"I'm sorry I wasn't with you when it happened." Tony said.

"I'm not." She put her head to his shoulder.

Tony pressed a kiss into her hair. "Hey, you know-? If you ever- I mean if we ever- well, if we decide, If we decide to-" Tony stopped. He hadn't been this flustered since the day he'd first met Ziva and had had to admit he was envisioning Kate naked.

"Spit it out." She prodded.

_Okay. Here goes nothing. What's the worst she can do? Shoot you_? "If we ever decide we want to join the parent trap we'll go to Israel and adopt one that's potty trained." He blurted.

It was then that she laughed, a real laugh from the depths of her stomach. She pulled back and smiled at him. "I cannot believe you just said that!"

"What?"

"You. Planning a future."

"No good?"

"No. It's good," she said and she kissed him.

X

Two weeks later:

"Two minutes. I think that's some sort of record_." _Ziva said sarcastically. She sat straddling Tony on her bed, hands on her knees. "The sheets didn't even move."

Tony lay slack limbed staring at the ceiling in disbelief. "It was more like five. I swear."

"Two. Two lousy minutes."

"Give me a break. It's been three weeks. I thought you were cleared after two." Tony propped his head up on his hands and studied her. He couldn't decide if she was teasing or genuinely ticked off. Maybe a little bit of both.

"I told you I didn't feel like it."

"I noticed."

"Hey!" she said sharply. "The next time you get an IUD shoved into your uterus you can see just how in the mood you are."

"Want to try again?" he asked hopefully, lifting her body with his hips.

Ziva grinned. "Always but we don't have time." She pushed herself free and stood up. Bending, she started to rip the sheets off the bed. "Get up."

Tony refused to budge. "C'mon, there's always for time sex." He reached up and ran his hand along her back before pulling her down on top of him. He flipped her over and pressed his body into her still naked form.

As fast as he was, Ziva was faster. She squirmed free of his grasp and stood. "Not now. We have a dinner party to go to. And we need to shower so we don't smell."

Tony lay face down, defeated. "You sure we have to go to this thing?" he asked, voice muffled by the mattress.

"Yes. We owe it to Jen to go to her party."

He lifted his head. "Whoa. What do you mean by that?"

"Just what I said. Now go take a shower. The sooner we go the sooner we can come home."

X

Ziva added handful of parsley to a bowl of couscous and fluffed it with a large fork. To her left Abby stood over the sink snacking on an apple and cheese. Both women had sought refuge from the cloying miasma of partygoers in the Director's kitchen.

Through the vaulted doorway Ziva spotted Tony. He stood slightly apart from McGee and Gibbs in a corner of the dining room. She watched them all amused by their discomfort as they haltingly engaged in conversation. She locked eyes with Tony and he mouthed, "Home now."

She shook her head no.

"Yes." He nodded.

"No." She shook her head again. She dropped her gaze. This was their first appearance as a couple and she didn't want to wreck it by showing up and immediately running home for sex. Plus, she had to admit to herself she was ticked at him. After all, she was the one who'd gone three weeks with no sex. He'd had plenty, just not the kind he wanted.

_Three weeks with no sex. It's not even that. I've done that before. It's no sex with Tony._ He was an addiction. Just thinking about his hands on her skin made her pulse race. She felt desire lick her body.

She smiled to herself imagining their bodies locked together riding a sweaty wave of passion. Tony always seemed to be able to know how to touch her. From sweet and almost painfully slow, to sweaty, fast and rough, he always knew what she wanted.She lifted her eyes and sent him a wicked grin.

"Now?" Tony mouthed.

Ziva broke off eye contact and ignored him. She had a feeling Jen was the reason Gibbs had let them off with the warning: 'If this affects your job you're both out.' She wanted to stay and prove them worthy of the trust Jen had shown them. But their previous interlude had left her hungry for more.

Ziva sensed Tony's eyes on her and she felt naked. She knew he was imagining her writhing in his grasp. _If we don't get out of here soon we're going to have to hide in the coat closet and I'm going to make you lick-_

Abby brought her back to reality. "Some mornings I wake up and even though McGee hasn't done anything I want to hurt him."

"Sometimes I feel like that with Tony and I'm not pregnant." Ziva laughed.

Abby placed a piece of cheese on an apple wedge. She looked at it and sighed. "I couldn't get my favorite skirt this morning."

Ziva set a tomato on the cutting board and began to chop it into miniscule cubes. "We should go shopping. You need at least one maternity outfit. Trust me. One morning nothing will fit and you'll be glad to have at least one thing."

"Yuck. Maternity outfits." Abby shuddered. "I feel like I'm hosting an alien."

Ziva nodded. She remembered the feeling. "Have you felt the baby move yet? Sometimes at four months you can. Feels like a butterfly with lead wings."

Abby topped another apple slice with cheese. "Nope. How is it you know about being pregnant?"

Ziva stopped chopping. "I just do." She said softly.

Abby's quizzical expression abruptly vanished from her face. Lifting her T-shirt, she grabbed Ziva's hand and pressed it to her rounded stomach. "Oh my God! Feel this!

At first Ziva gave her the incredulous look she reserved for Abby's small displays of affection towards her. It quickly faded as she felt a tiny pulse against her palm. She smiled. Abby was getting an internal noogie from a little hand or foot.

X

Tony stood to the side of McGee and Gibbs. He heard their conversation buzzing around him but paid it no mind. Instead he watched Ziva, making dinner as she did for them many nights. She always looked happy when she cooked. She chatted with Abby as she focused on her work.

Tony felt frustrated. _She's right. It was only two minutes_. He'd thought himself immune to such embarrassing episodes. He'd gone three weeks without sex before, but that was before Ziva. Being close to her was like breathing. Not only was she a friend and companion, she was a lover he had yet to grow tired of. It was all he could do not to grab her and walk out the door.

He watched her as she slid bits of the tomato into the bowl. She was unlike any woman he had ever been with. It wasn't just the fact that she was a trained killer that set her apart; it was more than that. Her allure came from being strong, confident, and self-reliant. She made him laugh. He liked that she didn't want to spend every last minute with him. She wasn't overtly affectionate with him in public. She was far more subtle and sensual. For Tony, this was more of a turn on than open affection. She moved easily in his space, her body language always hinting at what she was capable of. She held a kind of power over him that no other woman had ever come close to possessing. She was the only woman he knew who could control him with a look.

He studied her face, she had desire written across it. She wanted him bad. She was trying to toy with him, but she was loosing the game.

"I can't believe Abby's due on Halloween. You can't plan it better than that." McGee stated.

Gibbs laughed. "Ya think?"

McGee nodded. "Well, that's if it's on time. Aren't the first ones supposed to be late?"

"McGee!" Tony heard Abby shriek as she raced out of the kitchen. She had her shirt lifted, her bump on display for all. "McGee, feel this! Baby's kicking! Say hi to Daddy!" Abby grabbed McGee's hand and pressed it to her abdomen. "Feel that?"

McGee beamed, his eyes focused on Abby's stomach. "Oh my God. That's wild."

Tony watched the two as they traced the movements of their child as it swam in Abby's womb. He felt a pang of jealously. _Way to go. Jealous of Probie. What for? It's not that you even want a kid! But still…_

…It was then he felt Ziva behind him. She slipped her arm around his waist as she watched them. "Amazing, isn't it?" She gave a little laugh. Then she seemed to remember herself. She withdrew her arm and stepped away from him.

In a flash panic streaked across Abby's face. "Gibbs, you do anything to McGee and Ziva and I will make you disappear, I swear."

Jenny appeared behind Gibbs. "I'll back them up too." She grinned.  
Gibbs smiled. "Give me some credit. I already knew."

"How?" Abby asked.

"I know what an expectant father looks like." He replied.

A collective hush settled on the group.

Jen broke the silence, "I believe we're ready to eat." She stated.

X

Tony, Ziva, Abby and McGee sat in a crowded line at the table. It seemed Dr. Shepherd had invited the entire building. Gibbs sat across the table from them, his eyes unwavering from his rule breaking team. Ziva chatted with Abby who was busying inhaling her apple and cheese. McGee watched her with his eyes wide. He had relief written across his face. Gibbs knew he was the father and he was still alive.

For once Tony didn't care to drive the conversation. He had all he could do not to drag Ziva under the table. Tony was conscience of the scant space between them. The table was so crowded with people he couldn't help but bump into her. He wanted her. He wanted to prove to them both that his brief performance had been an isolated incident. Unfortunately they sat across from Gibbs, and while he grudging accepted them as a couple he still watched them with suspicious eyes.

As a distraction he focused on the backs of her hands as she lifted her wine glass. They were healing nicely. She grasped the stem delicately but he knew she had a grip like steel under her soft skin. He and thought of her hands moving against his skin, across his torso and lazily down his stomach to…

Wham! Ziva brought her foot down hard on his under the table. He grunted and his eyes teared. Her profile showed she was smiling. She knew what he was thinking and this was not the place. Deflated he focused on the business of eating. Tony suffered through the meal and then dessert. When the coffee came out he noticed Ziva starting to power down. She looked as if someone had just thrown a gigantic switch on her energy. _Crap. There go my plans_.

Ziva blinked and said. "This has been a lovely evening Jen but we have to go. I'm sorry. I'm just exhausted. Take me home?" She asked Tony.

"Alright." he said.

"So tomorrow?" Abby said.

"What's tomorrow?" Tony asked

"We're going clothes shopping." Ziva responded.

"You clothes shop?"

"How else do think I manage not to show up to work naked?"

"That's not what I meant. I can't imagine you in a mall."

"We'll you don't have to. You're not going. Maybe you and McGee can practice changing diapers and not scaring babies."

McGee and Tony glared at her in unison. "Yeah right."

X

When they had gone far enough down the hall Ziva pushed Tony roughly to the wall with a thud. She kissed him with her whole body behind it. "I lied about being tired."

"Thank God." He said.

X

Through the blinds in the living room Gibbs cradled his cup of coffee and watched Tony and Ziva make their way to his car. He saw Tony open her door and she gave him a quick kiss before she slid in.

Jen came up behind him. "Jethro. I hardly think you're going to catch them having sex in the parking lot."

"That's not what I was thinking Jen,"

"What were you thinking then?"

"I'm thinking you're right. Those two deserve each other."

X

Tony mashed the accelerator to the floor as fast as he dared go. Out of nowhere a deluge had sprung up and he could barely see. "Have you ever had sex in a car?"

"Yes and the answer is no."

"I didn't mean now." _Well, not anymore._

"Good. I don't want anything fancy. I want good old reliable sex."

"Are you saying it's old?"

"No. I'm saying it's good." She paused. "Can't you go any faster? Maybe I should drive."

X

TBC

I swear this was supposed to be the last chap but after I passed 23 pages I just had to post- 


	16. euphoria

You know the drill. I don't own this. I know it.

Thanks to my muses jacey05 & tonyzivafan. You guys are great!

X

"I'm freezing." Ziva said. She and Tony had both sprinted from his car to her apartment but were soaked nonetheless. She shivered as she kicked off her sodden shoes in the hallway. She hated to be cold, and drenched by the rain was not her favorite type of wet.

"I can help you with that." Tony said. Ziva looked at him and felt desire flood her body. Soaked to the bone, he'd never looked better. She peeled off her sopping clothes and they landed with a splat on the carpet.

"Three weeks," was all she said.

"Three weeks." He replied.

They stood for a moment staring at each other, a little unsure of where to start. Tony watched her, trying to gauge what she wanted. Slowly Ziva moved her hands to her thighs and then up to cup her breasts. She smiled at him. Grinning, he stepped closer. He understood. She was the one in control. Fine by him.

Still clothed Tony knotted his hands in her hair and kissed her with the frustration of the past weeks behind it. Not losing contact with his mouth Ziva unbuttoned his shirt and tugged it off. She loved the taste of him and the feel of his skin under her hands.

She broke off his kiss with a sigh. Tentatively she placed her mouth on his collarbone and kissed his damp skin. She sighed and placed another kiss lower.

Tony halted her with his hands on her shoulders. "Stop Ziva," If she went any farther he wouldn't be able to contain himself.

Ziva gave a little laugh and pulled back. She'd done it on purpose. She tugged on his waistband. "I suppose you'd like me to take these off?"

Tony nodded. She pushed his pants down, her hands lightly grazing his exposed skin. He held his breath, and she laughed again as she pushed him towards the bathroom.

Ziva bent over the edge of the claw foot tub and turned on the water.

"Not too hot. You'll burn something." Tony teased.

"You plan on being exposed that long?" Ziva quipped. Their pre-dinner romp had left her charged. Her whole body beat with lust. She had been ready all night and the sight of him sopping wet was making her crazy. She stuck her hand palm up into the flow of water and let the warm drops collect. Satisfied with the temperature, she pulled Tony in after her. She presses her pelvis to his to block him from the heat of the spray.

Ziva kissed him hard. Her breasts skimmed his chest as he ran his hands roughly over her. She enjoyed the feel of his touch on her skin for a moment but she was not in the mood for slow.

Ziva broke off his kiss. "My turn." She said. She hated to admit it to herself but she couldn't wait anymore than Tony could. She pivoted, and braced herself with her forearms against the wall, legs wide. She looked back at him and blinked water out of her eyes.

The sight of her willing body was all it took. In one move he was in her. She let out a moan of satisfaction as he began to move with in her.

Ziva tipped her pelvis to let Tony reach her front wall. Instinctively his moved his hand to her front to encourage her. Their breathing deepened as they continued their assault on each other's bodies. It wasn't long before the warm edge of her orgasm spread throughout her body. Her scream reverberated off the walls and the sound pushed him over the edge. Tony let go. He came with a deep groan. He felt her grab him forcibly with her muscles and squeeze, draining him as she came again.

Throat raw, Ziva gave him a small shakey kiss. "Worth the wait, yes?"

X

Tony couldn't sleep again and it had everything to do with Ziva. His mind churned, not with worry but wonder. He flipped on his side and watched her sleep. Naked, the light from the street glinted off her Star of David. He smiled and slung his arm across her hips.

They'd spent every night together in the past three weeks. He couldn't bring himself to sleep in the room where she had nearly died at the hands of her brother. Neither of them could. In fact, Adam David's blood still stained the carpet.

Tony was in the market for a new place and until then Ziva had let him stay with her. He had to admit he wasn't in a hurry to move out, although he suspected Ziva didn't reciprocate the feeling. He'd wanted to ask her to find a place with him but before he could, she suggested he take an apartment coming open in her building. He agreed.

Aware of his presence Ziva stirred. "What is it?"

"Nothing."

She flipped onto her side and snuggled against him. Feeling his body rigid against hers she said, "That doesn't feel like nothing." In the darkness she slid her right leg up over his hip. "Slowly."

They kissed softly. Tony ran his hands over her back and her bottom. Almost painfully slow she guided him into her.

She rocked against him gradually building in intensity until he heard her suck in her breath. She screamed in unison with his groan.

"Tony? _Tony_?"

Ziva was met with a soft snore. "Figures." She kissed him and went to sleep.

X

Ziva was the first to wake, as always. She still had her leg over Tony's side. Silently and stiffly she removed her it and lay on her back. She stretched, blinked and sat up. She was always quick to shake off the fog of sleep. The clock on the nightstand read 445. She contemplated staying in bed with Tony and decided against it. _Time to get up and do your own thing. You'll be happy you did._

Ziva rose without waking him. Some mornings Tony managed to drag her back to bed and they both had to rush not to be late to work. Not this morning. She dressed in her gym clothes, washed up and came back to give him a quick kiss before she left.

Tony was sitting up. "Come back to bed."

Ziva sat down and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Tomorrow."

"That would be nice."

"I was thinking-that fight we had-" She said.

"The one that saved our lives?" Tony asked, referring to the night that her brother had tried to kill her. He'd almost forgotten the shouting match they'd had. Who would have thought he'd actually had to plead with a woman for a date.

"Yes." Ziva said. "I was thinking, do you still want to go out?"

"On a date?"

"Yes."

"Dinner and a movie?" he asked cheerfully.

She laughed. "I'll let you pick."

The laughter left his voice and he looked at her seriously. "I love you, you know."

"I know." Ziva said. "I…" She paused, the words stuck in her throat. "I'll be back this afternoon." She kissed him again before she left.

Her apartment door clicked behind her with a whisper. In the darkened hush of the hall she heard her own voice breathe, "I love you too."

X

Review Review Review. You know you want to. So, is Hannah dead or not? What's in store for Ziva &Tony? Let me know, 


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